Fallen as a project explores the causes and impacts of deforestation and climate change in Nigeria. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Nigeria’s forest cover is disappearing quite rapidly as 350,000 – 400,000 hectares of forest lands are lost to deforestation annually – that’s a little above the landmass of Lagos which is 367,100 hectares. The need for firewood and charcoal, rapid urbanization, burgeoning population, construction and illegal lumbering for export are the major drivers of deforestation across the country. Deforestation has adverse effects on humans, biodiversity and the environment at large – forests serve as carbon sinks that absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. However, the clearing of forests means the sequestered carbon ends up in the atmosphere thereby contributing significantly to global warming – the recent heatwaves come to mind. The degradation of forests leads to biodiversity loss which causes a serious imbalance in the ecosystem. Forests are habitats to terrestrial biodiversity, due to deforestation, lots of flora and fauna in Nigeria stand the risk of extinction before the next generation. Similarly, the livelihoods and traditions of forest people are being threatened as a result of deforestation. With the current rate of forest degradation, thousands of forest people currently face challenges of food insecurity, displacement from their homes, and loss of livelihoods. Fallen is a visual narrative that hopes to increase awareness on this environmental issue and encourage everyone to take climate action and save our forests.
