Why safety, environmental protection and professional risk management must become central to forest estate administration
By Esv. Abidemi Bolanle Olaniyi MNIVS, RSV and Esv. Taiwo Raphael Adeniyi, MNIVS, RSV
Introduction
Forest-based estates occupy a unique position within Nigeria’s property and natural-resource landscape. Unlike conventional residential, commercial or industrial properties, forest estates comprise not only land and trees, but also plantations, biodiversity, water resources, access roads, wildlife, timber resources and, in some cases, buildings and other infrastructure.
Their management therefore requires a broader professional approach involving property administration, valuation, environmental protection, risk management, security, maintenance, resource conservation and the protection of people who work in or visit the estate.
For Estate Surveyors and Valuers engaged in forest-based estate management, safety should not be regarded as a secondary responsibility. It should form part of the foundation of professional estate management.
The issue is important because forestry activities can expose workers, contractors and visitors to falling trees and branches, chainsaws and other machinery, fire, difficult terrain, extreme weather, insects, wildlife, poor access roads and other occupational hazards.
The International Labour Organization’s revised Code of Practice on Safety and Health in Forestry Work provides an important international reference for managing such risks, with emphasis on occupational safety and health management, training, protective equipment, equipment safety and fire management.
Main Discussion
Forest Estate Management Goes Beyond Trees and Land
A forest-based estate should be viewed as a productive property asset whose value depends on the proper management of its physical, economic and environmental resources.
The Estate Surveyor and Valuer may be involved in property inspection, valuation, leasing or licensing advice, estate administration, monitoring of contractual obligations, maintenance coordination, documentation and reporting.
However, effective forest estate management requires collaboration with other professionals, including foresters, environmental specialists, surveyors, engineers, security personnel and health and safety practitioners where necessary.
The Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria recognises activities such as forest mapping and remote sensing, forest inventory and monitoring, forest-resource assessment, management planning, forest-fire management, conservation and sustainable management as important components of forestry practice.
This demonstrates that modern forest estate management is inherently multidisciplinary.
Major Safety Risks in Forest-Based Estates
The risks associated with forest estates vary according to the nature, size, location and use of the property.
Major risks may include:
– falling trees and branches;
– tree-felling operations;
– chainsaw and machinery accidents;
– bush and forest fires;
– difficult or inaccessible terrain;
– flooding and erosion;
– poisonous plants and insects;
– snakes and other wildlife;
– poorly maintained access roads;
– unauthorised entry;
– illegal logging;
– encroachment;
– theft of forest products; and
– accidents involving contractors and visitors.
The existence of these risks makes periodic professional inspection and a structured risk-management framework essential.
Risk Assessment Should Come First
Before assuming responsibility for a forest-based estate, the Estate Surveyor and Valuer should ensure that significant hazards are identified, assessed and documented.
A proper risk assessment should consider the condition of the estate, access routes, trees, structures, water bodies, slopes, fire-prone areas, machinery, contractors, security situation and other foreseeable hazards.
Risk assessment should not be treated as a one-off exercise.
Forest conditions change continuously. Trees mature, roads deteriorate, weather conditions change, new contractors are engaged and human activities can alter the risk profile of an estate.
Consequently, risk assessments should be reviewed periodically and after significant changes, accidents or other incidents.
Safe Access Must Be a Management Priority
Access is one of the simplest but often overlooked safety issues in forest estate management.
Estate personnel may need to travel deep into a forest to conduct inspections, monitor boundaries, inspect infrastructure or supervise contractors.
Forest roads and access tracks should therefore be periodically inspected and maintained where necessary. Dangerous areas should be identified and appropriately marked.
Where an inspection involves isolated or potentially hazardous areas, personnel should avoid working alone where practicable and should have reliable communication arrangements.
The principle is straightforward: before entering a forest estate, the manager should understand the route, identify foreseeable hazards and know how assistance can be obtained in an emergency.
Personal Protective Equipment Should Not Be Negotiable
Where an activity creates occupational hazards, appropriate personal protective equipment should be provided and properly used.
Depending on the activity, this may include safety boots, helmets, gloves, protective clothing, eye protection, hearing protection and high-visibility clothing.
The revised ILO forestry safety framework places emphasis on competence, information, training, equipment safety and appropriate personal protective equipment.
Estate managers should therefore ensure that contractors and workers involved in hazardous operations understand and comply with the safety requirements applicable to their work.
Tree Felling Requires Strict Control
Tree felling is an activity requiring particularly careful management.
Unauthorised or poorly controlled felling can result in serious injury, property damage, environmental degradation and financial loss.
Where tree harvesting is permitted, operations should be undertaken by appropriately trained personnel and within the applicable legal, environmental and contractual framework.
The Estate Surveyor and Valuer should maintain appropriate records of approved contractors, work locations, authorisations, quantities where relevant and significant incidents.
However, the professional should also recognise the limits of his or her competence. Where specialist forestry judgement is required, appropriate forestry expertise should be engaged.
Forest Fire: A Major Property and Environmental Risk
Fire can destroy valuable trees, plantations, biodiversity, infrastructure and other property resources within a very short period.
Nigeria’s environmental regulatory framework includes regulations relating to bush and forest fire and open burning. The objective is to prevent and minimise ecosystem destruction associated with fire outbreaks and uncontrolled burning.
Forest estate managers should therefore give serious attention to fire prevention and preparedness.
Depending on the characteristics of the estate, management measures may include:
- identifying fire-prone areas;
- controlling unauthorised burning;
- maintaining appropriate fire-management infrastructure;
- educating workers and surrounding communities;
- establishing emergency communication procedures;
- maintaining access for emergency response; and
- reporting fire incidents promptly.
The emphasis should be on prevention rather than waiting until a fire becomes uncontrollable.
Boundary Management and Encroachment
Forest estates are particularly vulnerable to boundary disputes and gradual encroachment where boundaries are inadequately documented and monitored.
Periodic boundary inspection should therefore form part of professional estate management.
Estate managers should ensure that available survey plans, title documents, boundary information and other relevant property records are properly maintained.
Where appropriate, technologies such as GPS, geographical information systems, satellite imagery and remote sensing can complement physical inspections.
Technology, however, should complement -not completely replace – professional physical inspection.
Contractor Management Is Also Safety Management
Forest estates often depend on contractors for activities such as road maintenance, tree-related operations, construction, transportation and other services.
An Estate Surveyor and Valuer managing such an estate should ensure that contractor engagement is properly documented and professionally monitored.
Contracts should clearly define:
– scope of work;
– permitted work areas;
– responsibilities of the contractor;
– safety obligations;
– environmental requirements;
– reporting procedures;
– insurance and liability provisions where applicable;
– compliance with relevant laws and regulations; and
– consequences of non-compliance.
Contractors should not be permitted to treat a forest estate as an uncontrolled workplace.
Emergency Preparedness Is Essential
Every professionally managed forest estate should have an emergency response arrangement appropriate to its size and risk profile.
The management plan should identify emergency contacts, access points, evacuation routes, nearby medical facilities and procedures for reporting accidents, fire outbreaks and other emergencies.
Where workers operate in remote areas, communication and emergency-response arrangements become even more important.
A safety plan is only effective when the people who are expected to implement it understand what to do when an emergency occurs.
The Nigerian Context
Nigeria’s forest estates and forest-based resources are important components of the country’s environmental and economic landscape. They may include plantations, reserves, institutional forestry estates, research facilities, community forests and other land areas containing forest resources.
However, management can be complicated by challenges such as inadequate funding, weak monitoring, illegal logging, encroachment, uncontrolled burning, poor access infrastructure and competing land-use pressures.
The Nigerian context therefore requires an approach that combines property management principles with environmental responsibility and practical safety management.
The role of institutions such as the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria is particularly relevant because contemporary forestry practice increasingly incorporates forest inventory, mapping, remote sensing, monitoring, conservation, fire management and sustainable resource management.
Estate Surveyors and Valuers managing forest-based properties should therefore understand the broader environmental and operational context within which these properties function.
Challenges and Emerging Issues
- Difficult Terrain and Limited Accessibility
Some forest estates contain steep terrain, poorly maintained roads, waterways and remote locations. These conditions can make routine inspection and emergency response difficult.
- Illegal Logging and Encroachment
Unauthorised occupation and removal of forest resources can create financial, environmental and security risks while also generating disputes over property rights.
- Forest Fire and Uncontrolled Burning
Bush burning and other sources of fire can cause extensive damage to forest resources and infrastructure. Prevention and community awareness are therefore essential.
- Limited Safety Awareness
Workers, contractors and visitors may sometimes underestimate the risks associated with forest environments. Regular training and clear safety procedures are necessary.
- Contractor-Related Risks
Poorly selected or inadequately supervised contractors may introduce additional safety, environmental and property risks.
- Climate and Environmental Risks
- Flooding, erosion, extreme weather and changing environmental conditions can affect access, vegetation, infrastructure and overall estate performance.
- Technology and Data Management
Modern tools such as GIS, GPS, satellite imagery, remote sensing, drones where legally and operationally appropriate, digital inspection systems and photographic records can improve monitoring. However, their adoption requires appropriate skills, funding and data-management procedures.
- Balancing Economic Use with Conservation
Forest estates may have economic value through timber, agriculture, recreation or other uses. However, excessive exploitation can undermine the environmental resources that sustain the estate’s long-term value.
The challenge is therefore to balance legitimate economic use with safety, conservation and sustainability.
Role of Estate Surveyors and Valuers
The Estate Surveyor and Valuer can play a significant coordinating role in forest-based estate management.
- Property Inspection and Risk Identification
Regular inspections can help identify unsafe conditions, deterioration, encroachment, access problems and other property-related risks.
- Valuation and Asset Assessment
Professional valuation should take account of the characteristics, use, condition, location and income-generating potential of the property and relevant resources.
- Estate Administration
The professional can maintain appropriate property records, monitor leases, licences, agreements and other occupation or use arrangements.
- Contractor and Service Management
Where contractors are engaged, the Estate Surveyor and Valuer can assist with scope definition, documentation, monitoring and performance evaluation.
- Boundary Monitoring
The professional can coordinate boundary inspections and ensure that relevant survey, title and property records are properly maintained.
- Maintenance Coordination
Roads, buildings, drainage systems, fences, bridges and other infrastructure require periodic inspection and maintenance.
- Risk and Emergency Planning
The Estate Surveyor and Valuer can help coordinate property-related risk assessments and ensure that appropriate emergency procedures are incorporated into estate management.
- Professional Coordination
Where matters fall outside the professional’s competence, the Estate Surveyor and Valuer should engage appropriate forestry, environmental, engineering, surveying, security and safety professionals.
- Documentation and Reporting
Inspection reports, photographs, risk assessments, contractor records, incident reports and maintenance records provide an important basis for accountability and informed management decisions.
Practical Recommendations
To strengthen the management of forest-based estates in Nigeria, the following measures are recommended:
First, forest estate owners should engage qualified professionals to develop comprehensive estate management plans that incorporate safety, environmental and property-management considerations.
Second, regular risk and safety assessments should become an integral part of forest estate administration.
Third, contractors should be subjected to appropriate competency, safety and environmental requirements before commencing hazardous operations.
Fourth, forest-fire prevention and emergency response plans should be established and periodically reviewed.
Fifth, forest boundaries should be properly documented and regularly monitored against encroachment.
Sixth, Estate Surveyors and Valuers managing forest estates should work closely with forestry, environmental, surveying, engineering and safety professionals.
Seventh, appropriate digital technologies such as GPS, GIS, remote sensing and photographic records should be incorporated into modern estate monitoring.
Eighth, preventive maintenance should be prioritised over purely reactive intervention.
Ninth, workers and contractors should receive regular safety training appropriate to the activities they undertake.
Finally, surrounding communities should be treated as important stakeholders. Community engagement and awareness can help reduce risks associated with fire, illegal activities, encroachment and other threats to forest resources.
Conclusion
Forest-based estates are valuable property and natural-resource assets that require a specialised approach to management.
For the Estate Surveyor and Valuer, responsibility extends beyond determining value or administering property rights. It includes recognising risks, protecting property interests, coordinating appropriate professional expertise and ensuring that management practices support safety, sustainability and long-term asset performance.
The future of forest estate management in Nigeria should therefore move from reactive administration towards preventive, technology-supported and environmentally responsible professional management.
A forest estate should not only generate economic value. It should be safe to work in, properly protected, environmentally sustainable and capable of retaining its value for present and future generations.
For Estate Surveyors and Valuers, safety is not an optional addition to forest estate management. It is an essential component of responsible professional practice.
Manage the forest professionally, protect the people, preserve the environment and safeguard the value of the estate.
References
International Labour Organization. (2025). Code of practice on safety and health in forestry work. International Labour Organization.
International Labour Organization. (2026). ILO training package on the Code of practice on safety and health in forestry work. International Labour Organization.
Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria. (n.d.). Forest inventory and management. FRIN.
National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency. (n.d.). Laws and regulations.
ESV Abidemi Bolanle Olaniyi is an Assistant Chief Lands Officer at Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan. Esv. Taiwo Adeniyi is an estate surveyor and valuer, as well as Head of Practice at Adeniyi Taiwo & Co., Ibadan.
