Survey of Tree Species Used in Erosion Control and their Characteristics in Kaduna Metropolis

This study was used to assess the trees species used for erosion control in Kaduna Metropolis, Kaduna state. A total of one-hundred (100) questionnaires were randomly administered among the four purposively selected four towns within the two major local governments in the study area. The two (2) towns selected in the two Local Government Area were Angwa-Rimi and Kawo new extension in Kaduna North and Barnawa and Sabo respectively Kaduna South. Twenty five (25) questionnaires each were randomly distributed across age and sex in each of the four (4) selected towns while only ninety were retrieved for analysis. Data analysis was achieved through descriptive analyses which include frequency distribution table and percentage. Results show that majority of the respondents that plant trees around their resident are male which represent (62.0 %), while their female counterpart are (42.2 %). Also, based on marital status, majority of the respondents are married (66.7 %), (3.3 %) of respondents are widow, while (27.8 %) of the surveyed population are single, while educationally, majority of the respondent are secondary (53.3 %), followed by the tertiary which is (20.0 %), respondents with primary education represent (16.7 %) of the total population of respondents surveyed. The trees species identified in the study area include Eucalyptus spp, Azadiracta indica, Psidium guajava, Terminalia catapa, Mangifera indica, Anacardium occidentalis, Khaya senegalensis, Gmelina arboria, pinus spp, Carica papaya, Moringa olifera, Gliricidia sepium, Ficus spp, Afzelia spp, Balanite eagyptiaca, Borassus aethiopum, Persae americana, Polyantha longifolia etc. According to the respondents, the following characteristics make these tree species the preferred environmental trees for erosion control: Their fast growing ability, deep rooting pattern coppicing ability, ability to produce large crown size, tolerance to adverse weather condition, ability of trees to produce broad leaves for shade production, erosion protection, and their ability to provide fruits among others. In conclusion, urban tree planting is a potential strategy to check water, wind erosion and other ecological problems; thus, there is need for the dwellers in the study area to intensify efforts towards planting tree around their houses, without this, the influx of people, urbanization as well as industrialization will create deleterious environmental hazard in the study area. It is recommended that shelter belt should be established in area where menace of erosion and other environmental problems were identified, sensitization of the populace on the importance of urban trees particularly in combating environmental problems must be intensified.