HOUSING DEVELOPMENT: A CHALLENGE TO BIRD CONSERVATION AND BIODIVERSITY PRESERVATION IN NIGERIA

Land use, biodiversity, and bird conservation are ecological and agricultural challenges presently facing Nigeria in its efforts at dealing with the problem of sustainable land productivity and agro ecosystem transformation. This paper used secondary sources of information to evaluate land reforms in Nigeria, the impact of land-use dynamics on biodiversity, and drivers of land-use change. However, the literature did not shed much light on whether informal housing development is a challenge to bird conservation. To bridge this gap in the literature, a literature search was conducted to find out if informal housing development was one of the direct or indirect challenges to bird conservation. The findings revealed that high levels of poverty, land conversion due to ignorance, invasive species, and climate change are some of the drivers of bird conservation and biodiversity loss in Nigeria. The people of Nigeria are changing the natural environment through continuous agricultural practices and expansion, such as converting forests to cultivated areas. While competing land uses for human settlements and agriculture, increasing demand for charcoal and fuel wood are contributing to the decline of woodland and forest areas. In addition, unregulated burning and overharvesting of resources are also some contributing factors that are resulting in a decline of many wild species. In light of these findings, appropriate recommendations have been provided, which the policymakers can use to ensure informal housing development does not affect bird conservation and biodiversity preservation in Nigeria.