Cross River State contains the largest amount of Tropical High Forest remaining in Nigeria (0.85 million hectares), and 32% of the State is still forested (Forest Sector Strategy, 1994), although its quality and density varies across the State's three agro-ecological zones. It is now under increasing threat from a rising population which requires more land for low intensity bush fallow agriculture, and from concessionaires and logging groups, whose activities are inadequately monitored and enforced by the FDD. This situation has been exacerbated by the creation of the Cross River National Park in 1991, which removed 355,700 ha of forest reserve (or 55% of the Tropical High Forest) from consideration for commercial logging and/or clearance for agriculture, and thereby put increased pressure on the remaining exploitable areas.

Between March 1991 and April 1995, DFID assisted the FDD of Cross River State to improve the long term social and economic benefits available to local people from the sustainable management of forest resources. The project was designed as the first stage in a long-term programme of assistance to address the problems of forest conservation and management. The State's forest resources were mapped and inventoried (at a low intensity) and the project facilitated a series of studies on the timber sector, non-timber forest products, the socio-economic context, farming systems and the perceptions and requirements of communities living within the forestry environment.

The main output of this first phase was the Forest Sector Strategy (FSS), which was the outcome of extensive negotiations with all stakeholders involved in the forestry sector, including community representatives. It concluded that the forests in Cross River State would only be saved through the adoption of sustainable management practices to be established through partnerships with all stakeholders. A key approach in the FSS was the involvement of communities in participatory forest management.

To support the development of sustainable community forest management in Cross River State.

• Replicable models for community based forest management developed and tested.
• Partnerships between FDD, communities, NGOs and private sector in target geographic areas developed.
• Capacity of community based forestry organistions (such as FMCs) to manage forests on sustainable basis improved.
• Capacity of FDD staff to support communities in participatory forest management strengthened.
• Income generating activities identified and pilot initiatives instigated.
• Marketing of timber, non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and agicultural products improved.
• Public awareness of the value and importance of sustainable forest management enhanced.