Forest areas have critical functions in dryland management strategies for maintaining ecosystem integrity, supporting livelihoods, and slowing desertification.

 Charcoal production is an economically important sector, but in Nigeria it is considered as one of the major drivers of deforestation (particularly in Bauchi, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Taraba, Ogun, Oyo, Kogi States). Forest Management and Conservation (State and local forests), gazetted forest reserves are under the responsibility of state and local governments. 

The project will support the government’s efforts to improve the management and conservation of forests, increase presence of personnel, offices, transportation, communication, management plans, etc. Improved access to fuelwood will be provided by supporting plantations with fast-growing species and to strengthen non-timber forest product value chains for forest-dependent communities. To address challenges identified in the forestry sector, the project will set up a combination of incentive-based agroforestry schemes, agricultural intensification, bush fire control, establishment of fuelwood plantations on degraded gazetted forest lands or in other communal land. 

This subcomponent will also support national parks which are considered to be particularly at risk, and which form major parts of the prioritized watersheds under the project.