ABSTRACT

 Nigeria’s conserved areas face an increasing threat from drought and human activities. The ever-encroaching Sahara Desert threaten these conservation sites in the northern part ofthe country and the erosion incidents in the south (especially in the Southeast). Using MODIS Terra satellite data and statistical modeling, we compared the vegetation covers of eleven (11) major conservation sites in Nigeria within the last two decades. There was a significant difference in Percentage Tree Cover (PTC), Percentage Non-Tree (PNT), Percentage NonVegetated (PNV) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) indices among the conservation sites. PNT was significantly highest in Yankari Game Reserve but least in Orashi Forest Reserve. Within the last 20 years, there is no evidence of a significant change in PTC, PNT, and EVI across the years in the Nigerian conservation sites, except in Cross River National Park. PNT increased steadily in Cross River National Park between 2000 and 2008 but decreased steadily from 2013-2019. In Okomu National Park and Orashi Forest Reserve, between 2000 - 2006 and 2010 -2019, there was an increase in PNT but decreased PNT between 2007 and 2009. Other conservation sites showed no considerable changes in PNT across the years, an indication of the vulnerability of the conservation sites to an array of pressures and threats. There is evidence of a significant change in the Percentage Non-Vegetated index in Gashaka Gumpti National Park, Kainji Lake National Park, Kamuku National Park, and Kwiambana Game Reserve. However, the hope is that many ofthe most severe and prevalent pressures and threats could be prevented, mitigated, or reversed through sustained national and international cooperation, sound resource management at the core of the Park Service mandate, and the efficient use ofGIS by the management of various conservation sites.