CHAIN SAWMILLING: IMPLICATIONS ON NIGERIA FOREST. *Owoyemi J. M. **Falemara B. J. and *Adamolekun O.R.

*Forestry and Wood Technology Department, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 704 Akure, Nigeria.

**Department of Forestry Technology, Federal College of Forestry, P.M.B. 2019 Jos, plateau State, Nigeria.

*jacobmayowa@yahoo.com **charlesjide@yahoo.com 08037254840

ABSTRACT

Chainsaw is a major mechanical harvesting tool used in tree felling and adapted for log conversion

which involves in-situ cutting of logs into timber. The trees are felled, topped, de-limbed, cross-cut

and then processed into timber. In recent times, its use has gone beyond the traditional felling and

now commonly used for log conversion in the forest. This development has generated a lot of

controversies in some states in Nigeria. While some States out-rightly banned its use others condone

it. This paper examines the practice of chainsaw milling and its implications for the future of

Nigerian forests. Root causes of illegal chain sawmilling activities as well as environmental concerns

were also discussed. Illegal chainsaw lumbering is reported to be destructive to the forest resource

base and yield low timber volume recovery. While this practice provides affordable cheap timber

supply and also generate employment for rural people. The disadvantage of the method is the

indiscriminate exploitation of the forest which has put a lot of pressure on the forest and deprives the

Government of revenue.

Keywords: Chain sawmilling, Environment, Forest, Recovery rate.

INTRODUCTION

Chainsaw milling is the method used in log conversion into boards after felling at the stump site

before evacuation from the forest using the chainsaw machine. This operation is common mostly

during illegal felling and flitching activities in the rainforest zone of Nigeria. According to Popoola

(2010), chainsaw milling is unauthorized and illegal in Nigeria but the operators illegally gain access

to the forest, fell the trees, convert them to boards of various dimensions and hurriedly hand-carry

them to the nearest road for transportation to timber markets. Aside that this operation is illegal; it is

a wasteful practice that produces low quality timber, reduces the revenue accruable to the

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government, causes a great harm to the environment and loss biodiversity and sustainability of forest

resources. Chainsaw milling operation though illegal has some advantages. The operation requires

little investment and the cost of purchase of equipment is very low compared to that of establishing a

sawmill. It could be used in conversion of low quality logs and isolated trees. The operation is very

suitable in difficult terrain and areas that are inaccessible in the forest (Oksanen et al, 2002). The use

of heavy equipment like tractors, skidders, and the cost of other installations are replaced by cheap

and direct labour in the evacuation of sawn boards. Chainsaw milling operations supplies cheap

wood to local markets which in turn sells them at cheaper prices. A study by Ogunsanwo et al,

(2005) revealed that chainsawn planks are sold at lower prices in local markets compared to those

produced from conventional sawmills. This effect could be attributed to the fact that the boards

produced from chainsaw milling operations are usually re-processed by consumers before they could

be used effectively in production. In most states of Nigeria, chainsaw milling has been identified as

an illegal enterprise. Legislations that disapprove the activities of chainsaw milling operators are

already being compromised and standards have been lowered. Several factors that resulted in this

development were identified by Popoola (2010) as;

Depletion of timber resources that made investments in establishment of formal sawmills

unattractive.

Rising transportation cost of logs to the sawmill

Huge capital requirement for the establishment of formal sawmills have increased by 1,000 –

5,000% since 1985;

Unreliable power supply from the national grid and ever-increasing cost of diesel and petrol;

Increasing fees and charges paid by timber contractors and formal sawmilling operators

without commensurate returns; and corruption among forestry officials.

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As a result of these factors, many sawmills in Nigeria have resorted to the use of chainsaws to the

extent that they now seek to be recognized by their respective State Forestry Departments. It

however important to note that while many are seeking to legalize the operation of chainsaw milling

in Nigeria, another West African country like Ghana have placed a ban on it since 1998. Quartey

(2010) reported that chainsaw milling in Ghana could be seen as a criminalization problem and the

only way to halt deforestation will be to stop the operations of chainsaw milling operators. In

Nigeria, no drastic step has been taken to combat this menace despite that its negative effect. Oladeji

(2008) reported that the chainsaw millers carry out their operations frequently and regularly even

during weekends when Forestry Officials have closed. They are often located through the sound of

their power saw, foot prints and mounting of road blocks.. The illegal activities of these chainsaw

millers include a re-use of government issued log certificates and hunting for wild animals are

common most especially in the rainforest zone. In some States, illegal activities of chain saw milling

are carried out by political thugs whose „god-fathers‟ in power turn their eyes away while their

activities lasted as this is seen as a way of compensating them

CHAINSAW MILLING ACTIVITIES IN NIGERIA

Chainsaw milling was scarcely practiced before the 1960s, but gradually succeeded pit-

sawing and later gained prominence as quick conversion apparatus in Southern Nigeria. While the

political exigency of the post-war 1970s and compelling socio-economic demands which increased

the demand for timber could be responsible for the abolishment of the concessions, the instability

they caused negatively affected the economic fortunes of most wood-based companies. Many

companies were compelled to fold up while the remaining few survivors scaled back their

operations. Against the backdrop of mounting governance costs, some state military governments

exploited their forests to shore up revenue, under the mistaken premise that timber was a renewable

natural capital capable of generating steady returns. This phenomenon created free entry for a large

number of small concessionaires, who explored cheaper and faster options of milling.

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Chainsaw milling is usually unauthorized and illegal in Nigeria and yet it is thriving.

Flitching is a logging activities usually carried out in the forest by artisan sawyers also known as

mobile chain operators. It involves the identification of trees with appropriate bole lengths, which are

then marked to be cut by mobile chain saw operators (F.A.O. 1992). It is popularly called

payabayaba or alamole in Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States while the method is called akumole in Ogun

State of Nigeria. Chainsaw millers hire “tree finders” to search for merchantable trees in both forest

reserves and free areas. They are paid according to the number and species of trees found. Operators

illegally gain access into the forest, fell the trees, hurriedly convert them to boards or planks of

different dimensions, and hand carry them to the nearest road where they are transported to markets

or ready buyers at the landing points who transport it themselves.

Chainsaw type and size is not regulated or standard, though the most commonly used models

are the Stihl 070 or Stihl 051, equipped with a special ripping chain for chainsaw milling. Chainsaw

lumber produces rough-sawn timber to meet local demand. Due to the poor quality of wood

produced the most common uses for the rough-sawn timber include: agricultural fences and pens,

bridges and piers. Working with chainsaws is dangerous and the risk of injury is high. Using the

proper tools and training reduces this risk, while improving the recovery rate and the quality of the

timber. These millers do not receive any formal or organised skill training in chainsaw operation but

learn the trade from other operators who have had long working experience. As a result, the method

of cutting produced a lot of waste (figure 1).

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Figure 1: Chainsaw Milling activities

Chainsaw millers seek legal authorization, usually by arguing that their operations can extract

logs from difficult terrain where access by truck is impracticable (Popoola, 2010). Sometime, they

seek permission from the forestry authorities to carry out this operation, which is granted on the

grounds that they could help bring out these logs from the forest where authorized trucks find it

difficult or almost impossible to gain access. These chain saw operators often abuse this permission

by even going to flitch outside the difficult terrains into areas where the terrain is quite accessible.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Chainsaw milling has developed gradually in community forestry as an informal sector due to

lack of adapted legal frameworks. There are three main criteria which determine the intensity of

chainsaw milling activities. These involve: (i) the distance to an urban market; (ii) the availability of

timber resources; and (iii) the presence of a logging company in the region.

Two main groups of chainsaw millers identified in the world today include; the forest-

dependent people living in or near natural forests in mainly moist tropical and sub-tropical regions,

largely milling freehand, either part-time or full time, and mainly but not exclusively, for local,

national and regional markets; and the woodworkers, artisans, hobbyists, enthusiasts, farmers, etc.,

living in or far from forests in temperate and sub-arctic regions, involved in milling only part time

with frames or other attachments, mainly but not exclusively for their own use.

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Chainsaw milling has grown over the years. It started with small illegal units and now

includes a large number of participants, who have formed themselves into associations and unions

and seek recognition from forest authorities. Most states in Nigeria still regard the activity as illegal,

although some - including Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Benue, Osun, Taraba and states in the eastern

part of the country - have softened their regulations to accommodate it. In Benue State, in the guinea

savanna zone, chainsaw milling is rampant and dominates the timber trade. Cross River State has a

relatively high percentage of high forest, yet chainsaw milling is prevalent and conventional

sawmilling is rarely practiced. Osun State is a rainforest state with a high incidence of conventional

sawmilling and a permissible level of chainsaw milling (Popoola, 2010).

In a few rainforest states, such as Ondo, Osun and Cross River, chainsaw milling is backed

by law in off-reserve areas and permits are issued on a stumpage or single-tree basis. Generally, there

is pervasive abuse of the single permit process: chainsaw millers surreptitiously obtain multiple

owner‟s consent from traditional institutions as well as permits from the forestry departments for use

by the same or different millers in the same or adjoining areas. In other rainforest states, e.g., Edo,

diverse interest groups (largely made up of rent captors) find their way through political

appointments onto extra-departmental forest/log monitoring committees and engage cronies to carry

out the same statutory functions as Government Officials (Ekeoba, 2010)

The profitability of chainsaw milling operations increase due to low operational cost.

Adebagbo (1992) reported that chainsaw milling products derived from 23 species of trees were

found at Bodija market in Ibadan. Of the 13 species studied by Popoola (2006) for comparison of

volume recovery between conventional sawmill and chainsaw operations, seven were found to

provide a higher recovery rate with chainsaws than conventional sawmills. Chain sawn planks were

found to command lower prices in the market than those produced from conventional sawmills,

however (Ogunsanwo et al., 2005). Ogunsanwo et al., (2005) also argue that the extensive waste

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(figure 2) often associated with chainsaw milling could be reduced if the operation was legalized,

better-trained operators were employed and the work was more carefully executed and monitored.

Figure 2: Types of solid wood residue generated during chainsaw milling process.

ROOT CAUSES OF ILLEGAL CHAINSAW MILLING ACTIVITIES

Chainsaw milling is seen as a problematic enterprise due to the fact that it does not fit into

sustainable forest management (SFM) initiatives; its unsustainable dependency on a finite resource

by local communities and it is associated with non-regulation industry and illegal operations.

Lack of unemployment is a critical factor driving many people to use forests unsustainably

through illegal timber felling. Cerutti and Lescuyer (2011), recognizes three main reasons that

explained increase in the number of chainsaw millers in rural areas as;

1. Cheaper access to chainsaws, facilitated by imports of cheaper materials from Nigeria, and of

sub-renting of chainsaws as a subsidiary activity from rural private owners;

2. The availability of more or less valuable timber resources in the neighborhood of urban areas.

Many artisan loggers operate in their locality or regions. However, they can migrate to other

regions to conduct their activity because of the scarcity of commercial timber species, the

acquisition of adequate equipment and labor force, as well as the good level of knowledge and

interaction with urban centers;

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3. The absence of effective regulation of chainsaw milling on the ground.

Dudley (2004) analyzed the intricacies of villagers‟ willingness to participate in illegal

logging. Based on a series of community interviews and social behaviour patterns, his study shows

that involvement in illegal logging is primarily interplay between the need for income. Chiefs and

other community leaders are alleged to be conniving with the illegal chainsaw operators.

CHAINSAW MILLING IMPLICATIONS ON NIGERIAN FOREST RESOURCES:

Low timber recovery and Increased waste generation. Holding et al, (2001) asserted that

chainsaw milling have a low recovery rate. The low recovery rate results from a variety of factors

such as wide chain kerf, machine vibration and to some extent the skill of the operator. Wastes are

often generated in form of large slabs, off-cuts, and other harvesting wastes. All these wastes are

usually left in the forest without any plan to convert them for other useful purposes. Badejo, et al.,

(2001) stated that, as a result of the crude method of sawing, occasioned by the rough edgings and

broad, large and thick saw kerfs, flitching is subject to high rate of wastage, since saw dust

production is rather very high. The result of this activity is usually the production of planks with

rough surfaces, planks with rough appearance and hence low quality planks. Chainsaws are primarily

designed for felling and crosscutting and not intended for rip-sawing sawmilling (Kambugu et al,

2010). The processing and conversion efficiency of chainsaw milling could be estimated under

different conditions of the raw material under conversion. Processing efficiency of chainsaws refer to

the ratio of products volume recovered to the log volume. Conversion efficiency on the other hand

compares the volume of recovered product (sawn timber) to the volume of the whole tree (Marfo,

2010).. Efficient recovery and utilization of harvested trees from chainsaw milling could only be

achieved if the operation is legalized as suggested by Ogunsanwo et al, (2005). The major reason for

the enormous waste generated by the operation lies in the fact that it is done illegally. Since the

operation is mostly carried out in the night, the illegal fellers hurriedly fell the trees, convert them

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and move them out of the forest to avoid being caught. Ogunsanwo et al, (2005) however proposed

that if the operation is legalized, the extensive waste often associated with it could be reduced.. The

width of the kerf; the allowance for planning and inaccuracy due to cutting at night to avoid being

caught affect log recovery volume The recovery data (Table 1) vary greatly because of the variation

in dimensions, species and methodologies used.

Table 1: Chainsaw milling recovery rate (%) of some selected countries

Country Recovery rate Bolivia 33 Cameroon 34 Carribbean Islands 40 Ghana 27-40 Guyana 19-44 Kenya 23.3-30.2 Liberia 31-35 Nigeria 46 Uganda 20.25

Source: Marieke et al., (2010)

Production of low timber quality. The quality of timber produced from chainsaw milling is

generally low and does not conform to market specifications. They are usually re-sawn to meet-up

with market standards with more wastes are generated.. Chain-sawn planks usually attract low

market prices mostly for buyers who have little or no concerns for product quality. Freehand

chainsaw milling is generally considered inefficient. The lumber quality is poor and the process

produces large amounts of wood waste.

Loss of accountability and reduction in government revenue. Wit et al, (2010) mentioned that since

chainsaw milling activities are carried out in an informal (illegal) context, substantive potential tax

revenues are being lost by the State. The State Department of Forestry is saddled with the

responsibility of taking adequate records (inventory) of forest resources. They allocate concessions

to timber contractors with the aim to bring in the revenue generated to Government purse but the

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reverse is the case with the activities of chainsaw milling operators. Since there is no formal permit

and payment for chainsaw milling operators, they penetrate the reserve and free areas to carry out

indiscriminate harvest of trees. This form of activity will eventually mislead the government since

the incoming revenue does not justify existing records of forest resources allocated for harvesting.

The Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) will always be exceeded with an increasing rate of chainsaw

milling operators. Grut et al, (1991) reported the importance of a nation-wide patrol unit under the

Forestry Department in undertaking regular inspections to ensure that timber harvesting is confined

to the annual coupes allocated (i.e. AAC) and to ensure that closed coupes are not re-logged.

Increased rate of deforestation with a resultant effect on the environment. Forests in

Nigeria are being depleted at an alarming rate. The forest resource survey, 1996-1998 revealed that

the forest cover has decreased by 20% over the preceding 18 years. According to Adeyoju (2001),

the total forest estate which stood at 10% of the country„s land area in 1996 is now less than 6%.

These occurrences have significant impact on the operations of the forest industries leading to a

decline in the contribution of the industries to national industrial development. Studies by Raw

Materials Research and Development Council ( RMRDC 2009) indicated that the total volume of

usable wood down to 30cm cutting diameter in the forest reserves is 239,775,500cm3. Since 1990,

the country has lost over 6 million ha or 36%, of its forest cover. The most bio diverse ecosystems,

the old-growth forests, are disappearing at an even faster rate; between 1990 and 2005, 79% of these

forests were lost and since 2000, Nigeria has been losing an average 11% of its primary forests each

year. These figures give Nigeria the highest deforestation rate of natural forest in the world. A mere

5% is left after uncontrolled logging and conversion.

Environmental Impacts: The impacts of chainsaw milling on the environment are mixed. On the

positive side, the light equipment used causes much less logging damage than the heavy equipment

used in regular logging operations (no skidding trails are needed and the waste wood is left on the

ground). But uncontrolled harvesting can lead to depletion of timber species and other adverse

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effects, such as pollution. Moreover, the illegality of chainsaw milling makes it difficult to assess its

impacts with any precision and also means a loss of timber revenues to the state. Chainsaw milling

provides ample opportunities for sustaining rural and family incomes. Rural youth and women are

mostly engaged in carrying lumber products to gantries or loading bays and timber sheds. The

diffuse and aggressive nature of the market for chainsawn timber products (billets, boards and

rafters) in many parts of Nigeria is partly due to the relative ease with which the product is converted

and transported, and partly to the prices, which are lower than those of timber from conventional

sawmills. Another advantage is that chainsawn timber products can be made to the buyer

specifications (figure 3).

Figure 3: Stocks of sawn wood in the bush waiting for waybills

Illegal chainsaw logging and milling is often associated with environmental degradation

because of its uncontrolled working methods and the complications involved in its ineffective

monitoring at the forest level. In this regard the use of chainsaw in milling can be made incompatible

with sustainable management of forests. Consequently it has become quite controversial in a number

of countries and is often cited as one of the leading causes of forest degradation. Of the many

negative impacts associated with uncontrolled chainsaw operations are issues which bother directly

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or otherwise on the maintenance of environmental quality of the forest and agro-ecosystems where

trees are harvested. It should however be recognized that the ecological impact of chainsaw lumber

production is not a straightforward issue.

Illegal logging also jeopardizes the livelihoods of rural communities engaged in small-scale

forestry by exposing them to unfair competition and depleting the resources on which they depend.

Unless these problems are addressed, investments to promote sustainable forest management will

remain ineffective (FAO, 2005).

CONCLUSION

Chainsaw milling is gradually becoming a major source of sawn wood in Nigeria. It also

provides employment for both families and hired labour, thereby improving household and social

well-being. These are clear indications of the social and economic importance of the chainsaw

business in Nigeria.

However, mature merchantable trees are increasingly in short supply in both forest reserves

and off reserve areas in southern Nigeria. The surge in population in southern Nigeria will exert

enormous pressure on the rainforest and its resources in the coming decades. More tree species will

be lost and the ecosystem will be rendered more ecologically fragile chainsaw milling will easily

disrupt the forest‟s regenerative capability when disturbance goes beyond the ecosystem‟s limits.

The argument that on-site chainsaw milling is less damaging to the forest ecosystem than other forms

of logging does not apply in all forest situations, particularly in the current Nigerian context. There is

a need to address policy and governance issues that will make chainsaw milling in Nigeria officially

recognized and sustainably practiced in terms of social acceptance, economic viability and

environmental impact.

Subsequently, the following recommendations are necessary for policy consideration to

minimize illegal chainsaw milling:

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1. Consideration needs to be given to interventions that will contribute to the sustenance of rural

livelihoods and prevent a further decline in the rural economy since agriculture, the major

rural economic activity, is less lucrative.

2. Chainsaw operators must be registered and made to work under the district forest officers,

unit committees and chiefs.

3. Operators must aid in afforestation and they should stop operating near riverbanks and in

forest reserves.

4. There is the need for interventions that will reduce the economic competitiveness of chainsaw

lumber on the market. This may include providing special incentives to reduce the production

cost of lumber from regular sawmills to enable them supply the domestic market.

5. Connivance of chainsaw operators with local communities may be minimized by devising

measures that will ensure that the primary owners of timber trees harvested from off-reserve

areas gain directly from proceeds from their lands. Some competitive percentage of the

revenue must be paid directly at stumpage to the farmer or landowner. This will be an

incentive for them to cooperate in the protection of timber trees.

6. The authorities should consider the re-introduction of registered chainsaw operation system,

with appropriate monitoring mechanism in order to find a lasting solution to the problem.

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