An ethno botanical survey of major ethnomedicinal plants was carried out in the study area (Kano north senatorial district, Nigeria), their knowledge and uses by the local healers was determined. Data was obtained through the use of interviewer administered questionnaires, distributed at random to the traditional healers as the target respondents. Research shows that various plant species from 25 families were reported to be used in the treatment of various human ailments. Majority of these plants (73.2%) were wild, and 40% were harvested mainly for their leaves. Most of the plants were trees (44%). About 45.2% have been reported to be used in dry form. Concoction was the major method of preparation of the medicinal plants (46%). The most reported threat to the availability of medicinal plants was deforestation (43.6%). Many additives like edible oil, honey, butter, porridge, garlic were used in almost 58% of the remedy preparations. In addition, more than one medicinal plant species were used more frequently than the use of single species for medicinal preparations.

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In this study, the relationships between canopy -width, height and trunk size of the following tree species growing in Kano (12 o N, 8.5 -8.7 o E), a town located in the Sudan Savanna Zone of Northern Nigeria were examined: Parkia biglobosa, (Jacq-Benth), Khaya senegalensis (A. Juss), Eucalyptus species, Adansonia digitata (Linn). Cassia siamea (Lam), Azadirachta indica (A. Juss), Delonix regia (Boj, ex Hook) and Acacia nilotica (Linn). Twenty trees of each species ensured to be free from obvious ecological disturbances were selected for the study. Analyses of the data obtained indicate that, with the exception of Eucalyptus sp. and A. digitata, the relationship between height and trunk size is linear. A linear relationship between canopy width and trunk size was also observed in the eight tree species studied, except A. digitata. The canopy width/height study showed a linear relationship in all the tree species. The results are discussed in the context of their adaptive significance and use in determining suitability of the trees for afforestation, forest regeneration and establishment of shelter belts to arrest desertification.