Conservation

By ensuring conservation and promoting the environmental health of its landscape in general, Okomu actively and transparently demonstrates its environmental values.

It is a well-known fact that the world population is on the increase and there is an alarming rise in natural resource consumption. Hence, Okomu has joined efforts with local and international bodies to protect and preserve the ecosystem for future generations. Natural resources should be conserved to maintain the ecological balance, and proper management is required to ensure the well-being of humanity in the long term.

Indeed, the future-proofing of business and regions is linked to conservation as well: “If the planet doesn’t make it, neither will we”. Every action count towards securing the planet’s future and there are significant returns for all of us choosing to act responsibly.

Okomu currently maintains about 10% of its total area exclusively for conservation. These areas are High Conservation Value (HCV) and High Carbon Stock (HCS) forests that are managed through the HCV/HCS management plan that requires the Company to monitor these areas to ensure the enhancement of its biodiversity quality. This is enhanced through monitoring by an HCV officer and ecoguards, a quarterly review of HCV reports, and the conduct of field studies of fauna and flora in these forests. Illegal activities, upon recording, are investigated and corrective/preventive actions are implemented, where possible. There is a MoU with Okomu National Park which, as part of its provisions, ensures connecting corridors are jointly patrolled. The State Forestry Department is contacted for prosecution of illegal loggers apprehended within the conservation areas.