Shaping, Beautifying and Environmental Management of Our Cities Through the Use of Plants: A Jos City Centre, Scenario, Nigeria

Abstract

Many of our cities and towns lack adequate trees to modify and beautify the environments. Nigerian cities of today face numerous problems these include urbanization, deteriorating environment, urban decay, un-cleared refuse, flooding, erosion and pollution. Little or no attention has been given to management of the environment and appropriate landscaping of our houses, neighborhood, towns and cities in recent times. About 85% of the surroundings of the city center are covered with hard landscape elements such as asphalt, interlocks, concrete resulting into heat islands around the exterior of buildings. Thus, the indoor temperature is usually high due to heat transfer from paved surfaces. This study aims to examine how plants are used in shaping, beautifying and the environmental management of Nigerian urban centres. The study area is Jos the capital of Plateau State situated in the North-Central geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Qualitative method was adopted for this paper, which involves the study and review of existing literature on the subject, reconnaissance survey and case studies. The findings reveal that the level of landscape development within the city centre is grossly inadequate. This study posits the use of plants as landscape elements beautifies our cities, improve air quality, as well as creating pleasant scenes of our major roads, roundabout, recreation centers which invariably gives a healthy environment devoid of environmental hazards. The paper recommends that appropriate sensitization programmes on values of landscaping should be intensified to individuals, professionals, Government and Non-governmental organizations.