Introduction:

Dr. Oluseun Adesola AKINSOROTAN

Coordinator

Email:  

The Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism Management is a group of faculty members who are known for their expertise in teaching and research. Students’ examination, off campus/industrial training and seminars are jointly handled by the faculty members, adjunct and affiliated faculty.  Our students are provided with quality instruction and guidance by our dedicated academic staff and administrators, which makes us fortunate 

Since inception, the Department has been committed to excellence in teaching, mentoring and scholarly research. our program has produced many alumni who have gone on to become researchers, scientists, policy makers, and academic leaders in and outside Nigeria, and we are proud of them.

The Department has a close relationship with the National Park Services of Nigeria (NPS) whose primary aim is to promote and regulate the use of the Federal Protected Areas, which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life for the present and future generations. NPS is also committed to programs that focus on research, instruction, and outreach regarding the management, conservation and preservation.

The Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism Management is in the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management and part of the College of Agriculture at the Osun State University, Osogbo. It was established in the year 2007. At the undergraduate level, the Department offers a degree in Bachelor’s in Wildlife Management. This degree provides students with strong science and research-based instruction to prepare them for careers as natural resource managers in public, private and non-profit sectors.

The graduate programs at the Department include PGD, MS and PhD degrees in Wildlife Management. Each program has its own area of specialization and faculty members that supervises and serve as advisors.

Kindly see the Departmental Handbook for explicit information with respect to National

University Commission’s (NUC’s) recommended minimum benchmark for the award of Bachelor of Wildlife Management in Nigerian Universities, description, content, unit and other necessary requirements of each of the courses. In addition to this, the handbook provides information on the admission requirements, the course system, Grade Point Average (GPA) system, methods for the evaluation of each student’s academic performance as well as, the rules and regulations governing registration, examination and general conduct of students. Thus, the handbook is an indispensable tool which every student should have and be familiar with the contents. 

I assure every student in the Department that the Department is poise to provide and maintain high standard of training such that our undergraduate and graduate students could complete favorable with their counterparts anywhere in the world. Because it will position our graduates for scholarships, competitive jobs and relevant entrepreneurial ventures. I therefore encourage you our dear students to make good success of this opportunity; maintain consistent attitude of hard work at your studies and all assignments starting from the first day in this University. You are advised to carefully study this Handbook and make it your companion, note all the information concerning the various requirements for programme. 

Location:

The Department is in the College of Agriculture located in Ejigbo. The town is located along the border between Oyo and Osun State. The College currently have two Faculties and six  (6) Departments with students admitted into their programmes.

Brief History of the Department

The Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism started in 2007 as the Department of Wildlife and Environmental Management and the academic programme was B. Wildlife Management. The programme was one of the inception programmes of the University. The Department was later changed in 2011 to the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Management to run two programmes viz: Fisheries and Aquaculture and B. Wildlife Management.  

As in other courses in the College, Wildlife and Ecotourism Management commenced her academic courses with the admission of the first set of undergraduate students in 2007/2008 academic session on Wednesday 8th October, 2008, and graduated them in 2011/2012 Academic session on 27th June, 2012. Since its inception the Department has produced graduates who are employed in relevant sectors of the economy and a few have gone for further studies. 

There are well equipped functional laboratories some of which are shared with other

Departments in the College while others are specific to the academic programmes of the Department. The laboratories are well equipped to cope with the teaching of students and for the use of academic staff for research purposes. The Department is endowed with modern equipment in Wildlife Ecology and Monitoring and relevant facilities such as apiary, aviary, snailery and grasscutter rearing facilities and a zoological garden which is used with the Department Zoology.

In the past, Classrooms and Lecture rooms are shared with other Departments in the College. At present, there are adequate Classrooms and Lecture rooms for the Department in the newly furnished building for the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management.

The students registered in the Department offer same courses at the 100 level as their counterparts in basic sciences, at 200 level they offer same courses with related Departments within the College. While in 300 they concentrate on courses relevant to Wildlife and ecotourism management. At 400 level students take in situ practical year courses under the Student Work Experience Programmes during the Harmattan Semester after which they proceed a six-months Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) ex situ in relevant agencies and establishment during the Rain Semester as part of their graduation requirement.

The Department is in close relationships with the Nigerian Conservation Society (NCF), National Parks and the Wildlife Society of Nigeria (WISON).

Academic Programmes

Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism Management runs B.Wildlife Management programme

The Department offers a B. Wildlife programme at the undergraduate level. The Bachelor’s degree programme covers different areas which include:

• Wildlife ecology management
• Range management
• Wildlife nutrition and production
• Ecotourism management

Vision of the Department

To produce graduates who are trained to appreciate nature through wildlife resources and in the management of the resources and their environment for sustainability to ensure secured livelihood for those who depend on it in various forms. The Department aims at producing 

graduate through high quality teaching, learning and research experience scholars, researchers and professionals in academics, capable of having impact on their environment and could exploit the potentials in the wildlife resources for their economic benefits. 

Mission of the College

Our mission is to create a unique Department committed to the pursuit of academic innovation, skill-based training in Natural Resources Management, a tradition of excellence in teaching, research and community service and to produce experts in Wildlife and Ecotourism Management that are relevant, highly employable and can create employment in the society.

Physical Development

The Department and the school management continue to provide adequate facilities and enabling environment for the training of the students in the various aspects of the B.Wildlife programme. This includes establishment of the wildlife domestication unit (grasscutter, apiary, aviary and snailry). The desire to have a sustainable source of food for the animals in the domestication unit has led to the establishment a food system for these animals combining it with butterfly garden to conserve some of the declining charismatic pollinators (bees and butterflies) that potentially contributes to 15 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Work is on-going and the desire to introduce the newly establish orchard where only indigenous fruit trees are planted not to only improve the health of the ecosystem but also the human wellbeing to the neighbouring communities in no distant time in on the high tempo

Research Activities

Basic and applied research in wildlife and biodiversity conservation is embarked upon by members of academic staff in the department. Areas of research covered include wildlife ecology, nutrition,  entomology, ornithology, social aspect of  biodiversity conservation, ecotourism etc.

Research facilities being developed include:

Teaching and research domestication unit

On station demonstration

Teaching and research laboratory

Teaching and research laboratory complex

Information and communication technology (ICT) College and Departmental libraries

Grants and Awards:

Adewumi A A 2014. TETFund Research Grant intervention programme. Grant No: UNIOSUN/TETFund/14/0021. Preliminary Evaluation of Ostrich Husbandry in Osun State

Community Empowerment Service Project:

The Department in collaboration with the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management engaged in tree planting outreach to neighbouring hospitals, secondary schools and the local Government Secretariat.

Welcome Address/Introduction of HOD of the Department

Dr. Munir Karounwi Adegoke WAHAB

Ag.HOD

I welcome you to the Department of Forest Resources Management, which is strategically positioned in the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management, College of Agriculture, to promote sustainable production and utilisation of forest resources, as environmental friendly substitutes to non-renewable natural resources. The Department adopts an accommodating approach to ensuring integrity in teaching and impartation of knowledge to students and staff through effective teaching, seminars and relevant field experiences; geared towards producing forestry professionals who are able to engage the changing world in activities geared towards sustainable forest production and utilization. 

The Department has evolved from the sustained yield concept of forest management to a broader scope that focuses on sustainable management of the entirety of ecosystem services and to this end, the Department has developed an underlying philosophy which prepares world-class graduates for the challenges that face the environment and human dependence on it. This is to bridge the gap for trained capacity in the field of forest production and its utilisation while creating pragmatic and sustained solutions to the problems encountered in food, fuel and fibre production; deforestation and forest degradation; loss of tree genetic diversity, forest and climate change as well as poor data management and conservation. 

The Department of Forest Resources Management operates in an atmosphere that encourages free flow of knowledge among students and members of staff. The intention of this practice is to in turn create excellent relationship with professional colleagues outside the department over the years.   

Location of the Department

The Department is one of the departments in the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management, in the College of Agriculture which is located in Ejigbo town of Osun State. Ejigbo, is situated along the border between Oyo and Osun States. The Department is in the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management building.

Brief History of the Department

The Department of Forest Resources Management, Osun State University Nigeria, was established in the year 2019. The stated aim of the Department was to provide professional personnel qualified in forestry and allied land management. 

Mission of the Department

1. To produce competent graduates of forest science who are able to cope in a competitive world 
2. To assist in wealth creation, through judicious use of forest produce and allied natural resources
3. To continue to engage the changing world in activities geared towards sustainable forest production and utilisation 
4. To serve as bridge for forestry stakeholders through robust advocacy for broad based management of forests as well as forest products utilisation 

Vision of the Department

To build a department that will be a Centre of excellence for training and research in forest science and environmental management in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.   

Academic Programme

1. Forestry Management

Physical Development

The Directorate of works and physical development continues to supervise the on-going physical development projects which include approach road construction, health centre, classroom complex, ICT centre, library building, laboratories complex, sports arena and facilities and farm structures. A feed mill factory, standard fisheries and aquaculture complex. 

There are three functional laboratories in the College that serve the academic programmes of the Department. The laboratories are well equipped to cope with the teaching of students and for the use by the academic staff for research purposes. Well-equipped class rooms and lecture rooms are also available for the smooth running of academic programmes in the department, faculty and the college as a whole.

The desire to create a model department of Forest Resources Management in the college of agriculture is the driving tempo for the physical development in the department, faculty and the college. 

Research Activities

The global population continues to seek environmentally friendly solutions to issues pertaining to forest resources utilisation, with a special focus on sustainability of the renewable natural resources found in forests. The Department of Forest Management has evolved from the sustained yield concept to a broader scope that focuses on sustainable management of both tangible and intangible forest products. To this end, the Department has developed an underlying philosophy which prepares world-class graduates for the challenges that face the environment and human dependence on it. The aim is to bridge the gap for trained capacity in the field of forest production and its utilisation while creating pragmatic and sustained solutions to the problems encountered in food, fuel and fibre production; deforestation and forest degradation; loss of tree genetic diversity, forest and climate change; poor data management and conservation. The proposed curriculum focuses on sustainable forest resources management, maintenance of ecological integrity and integrated approaches to forest resources utilisation, with the aim of producing versatile graduates with sound knowledge and entrepreneurial skills in resource utilisation without exceeding the carrying capacity of the environment.

Journals:

• Journal of Forestry Association of Nigeria
• Journal of agriculture, forestry and fisheries
• Journal of forestry, environment and sustainable development
• Journal of the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
• Journal of Research in Forestry, Wildlife Environment
• Journal of Forestry, Environment and Sustainable Development  Nigerian Journal of Forestry
• Online Journals
• Ecological Society of Nigeria
• UNIOSUN Journal of Agriculture and Renewable Resources  Renewable Resources Journal

Community Empowerment Service Project:

The Department has evolved from the sustained yield concept of forest management to a broader scope that focuses on sustainable management of the entirety of ecosystem services and to this end, the Department has developed an underlying philosophy which prepares world-class graduates for the challenges that face the environment and human dependence on it. This is to bridge the gap for trained capacity in the field of forest production and its utilisation while creating pragmatic and sustained solutions to the problems encountered in food, fuel and fibre production; deforestation and forest degradation; loss of tree genetic diversity, forest and climate change as well as poor data management and conservation. The department engages in sensitizing the young foresters on the better way to produce seedlings and economic trees for commercial purposes.