**2. Statement of problem**

Forests today are destructively exploited in Africa for timber, fuelwood, fibers, ornamentals and pharmaceutical products without genuine effort to replenish them [11]. From the foregoing, the destruction of essential forest resources such as vegetation cover, fertile soils wildlife, as well as environmental pollution emanating from oil spillage are alarmingly evident in several African countries, this is coupled with the high rate of population increase which is responsible for agricultural and industrial growth, resulting in the continuous expansion of land. This has gone a long way in the degrading of the environment causing different types of problems [1, 3, 4].

Forests exhibits a fragile ecosystem in Africa in particular, and all over the world in general, and in Ref. to the study area, this requires constant monitoring and update information for just in time interventions to promote sustainability [6]. This is because, forests not only sustain high biodiversity and productivity but captures sediments and nutrients, stabilize and provides food and livelihoods for the human populations that surround them. In Africa, loss of forest resources is caused by both anthropogenic and/or naturally occurring factors. It was observed that forest resources at the study area are threatened by numerous anthropogenic activities leading to degradation of the most heavily threatened natural systems. However, the present status in terms of extent, nature, at species richness and local people's perception are not known despite the increasing population growth and urbanization in the area. Further, Olatoye, [1] opined that forests are greatly threatened and are depleting fast in the study area due to human factors. These have been found to jeopardize these natural habitats and triggering climate change [9].

It is also imperative to state that forest loss has continually reduced the GFR ecosystems biodiversity, which the surrounding rural communities depend upon. Hence, it is urgent need to know the status of the resource to ensure the sustainability of the GFR ecosystem. Further, there are various environmental problems requiring urgent attention in the study area, and these include degradation of forests, expansion of rural settlements around GFR conservation areas, degradation and erosion of fertile soils on account of unsustainable forest LULC practices. Other environmental problems include the preponderance of invasive/alien flora species, as well as the illegal dumping of refuse in the study area [12].
