VOA慢速英语：尼日利亚正在消失的森林
Egbontoluwa Marigi worked deep in a forest in Nigeria, a country on the western coast of Africa.He is a logger who cuts down trees using an axe and a machete.
埃格邦托卢瓦·马里吉在非洲西海岸尼日利亚的一片森林深处工作。他是个伐木工人，用斧头和砍刀砍树。
The forest where he worked is in the Ondo State in southwest Nigeria.But many trees in that forest have been lost to illegal logging.
他工作的森林位于尼日利亚西南部的翁多州。但那片森林中的许多树木已经因为非法砍伐而消失。
The 61-year-old father of two told Reuters that he could cut down over 15 trees anywhere in the forest, but he would be lucky to find two.
这位现年61岁，拥有两个孩子的父亲告诉路透社，他之前在森林中随处都可砍伐超过15棵树，但现在如果能找到2棵，就很幸运了。
"During the time of our forefathers, we had big trees but sadly what we have now are just small treesand we dont even allow them to mature before we cut them," Marigi said.
“在我们祖先那个年代，这里有很多大树，可惜现在只剩下小树了，我们甚至等不及它们长得足够高大再砍伐。”马里吉说。
After cutting down the trees, Marigi put markers on them to let other loggers know that he is the owner.The cut-down trees, or logs, are then transported by waterways and rivers to Nigerias most populated city, Lagos.
砍掉树木后，马里吉在树上做记号，让其他伐木者知道这是他砍的。砍伐的树木或原木，通过水道和河流运输到尼日利亚人口最多的城市拉各斯。
Trees in Nigeria are cut down to open land for farming or to feed the energy demand of a growing population.From 2001 to 2021, Nigeria has lost 1.14 million hectares of tree cover.
尼日利亚的树木被砍伐是为了开垦农田或满足日益增长的人口的能源需求。从2001年到2021，尼日利亚失去了114万公顷的森林覆盖。
Global Forest Watch provides data and follows the state of the forests.The organization says that the 11 percent decrease in tree cover in Nigeria equals the emissions of 587 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.
全球森林观察提供数据并跟踪森林状况。该组织表示，尼日利亚森林覆盖率下降11%，相当于5.87亿吨二氧化碳的排放量。
President Muhammadu Buhari spoke at a recent UN meeting on biodiversity, or the state of the biological environment, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.He said that Nigeria has provided money to help regrow the countrys forests.But that may not be enough as the country loses forests even more quickly.
总统穆罕默杜·布哈里最近在科特迪瓦阿比让举行的联合国生物多样性会议上发表讲话。他说，尼日利亚已经提供资金帮助该国的森林再植。但这可能还不够，因为这个国家失去森林的速度更快。
Femi Obadun is the director of forest management for Ondo states agriculture ministry.He said, "Protecting the forest means protecting ourselves.When we destroy the forest, we destroy humanity."
费米·奥巴顿是翁多州农业部森林管理主任。他说：“保护森林就是保护我们自己。当我们摧毁森林时，我们就摧毁了人类。”
That is something Marigi knows well, but he must make a living.
马里吉对此也很清楚，但他必须以此谋生。
Months after cutting the trees, Marigi returned to the forest to tie his 40 logs together so they could be transported.With other loggers, he paid for a tugboat to pull the logs through waterways from Ondo state to Lagos.
砍伐树木数月后，马里吉回到森林，将他的40根原木绑在一起，以便运输。与其他伐木工人一起，他支付了一艘拖船的费用，将木材从昂多州拖到拉各斯。
They built shelters on top of the floating logs to help protect themselves from the weather.Food was shared and they sang local songs to cheer themselves up.They did not sleep at night to make sure that the logs would not get away from the boat.
他们在漂浮的圆木上搭了个帐篷，以保护自己免受天气影响。他们分享食物，唱着当地歌曲让自己振作起来。他们晚上不睡觉，以防止原木飘走。
The boat stopped at several places to pick up more loggers and their logs.A single boat can transport thousands of such logs.
这艘船中途在几个地方停了下来，接上了更多的伐木者和他们的原木。一艘船可以运输数以千计的这种原木。
Marigis trip ended in Lagos where logs from Ondo state and other parts of the country came together.The logs were then cut and sold to users.
马里吉此行终点站是拉各斯，在那里，来自翁多州和该国其他地区的原木汇集在一起。然后，这些原木被切割并出售给用户。
Im Jill Robbins.
吉尔·罗宾斯报道。
Egbontoluwa Marigi worked deep in a forest in Nigeria, a country on the western coast of Africa.He is a logger who cuts down trees using an axe and a machete.
埃格邦托卢瓦·马里吉在非洲西海岸尼日利亚的一片森林深处工作。他是个伐木工人，用斧头和砍刀砍树。
The forest where he worked is in the Ondo State in southwest Nigeria.But many trees in that forest have been lost to illegal logging.
他工作的森林位于尼日利亚西南部的翁多州。但那片森林中的许多树木已经因为非法砍伐而消失。
The 61-year-old father of two told Reuters that he could cut down over 15 trees anywhere in the forest, but he would be lucky to find two.
这位现年61岁，拥有两个孩子的父亲告诉路透社，他之前在森林中随处都可砍伐超过15棵树，但现在如果能找到2棵，就很幸运了。
"During the time of our forefathers, we had big trees but sadly what we have now are just small treesand we dont even allow them to mature before we cut them," Marigi said.
“在我们祖先那个年代，这里有很多大树，可惜现在只剩下小树了，我们甚至等不及它们长得足够高大再砍伐。”马里吉说。
After cutting down the trees, Marigi put markers on them to let other loggers know that he is the owner.The cut-down trees, or logs, are then transported by waterways and rivers to Nigerias most populated city, Lagos.
砍掉树木后，马里吉在树上做记号，让其他伐木者知道这是他砍的。砍伐的树木或原木，通过水道和河流运输到尼日利亚人口最多的城市拉各斯。
Trees in Nigeria are cut down to open land for farming or to feed the energy demand of a growing population.From 2001 to 2021, Nigeria has lost 1.14 million hectares of tree cover.
尼日利亚的树木被砍伐是为了开垦农田或满足日益增长的人口的能源需求。从2001年到2021，尼日利亚失去了114万公顷的森林覆盖。
Global Forest Watch provides data and follows the state of the forests.The organization says that the 11 percent decrease in tree cover in Nigeria equals the emissions of 587 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.
全球森林观察提供数据并跟踪森林状况。该组织表示，尼日利亚森林覆盖率下降11%，相当于5.87亿吨二氧化碳的排放量。
President Muhammadu Buhari spoke at a recent UN meeting on biodiversity, or the state of the biological environment, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.He said that Nigeria has provided money to help regrow the countrys forests.But that may not be enough as the country loses forests even more quickly.
总统穆罕默杜·布哈里最近在科特迪瓦阿比让举行的联合国生物多样性会议上发表讲话。他说，尼日利亚已经提供资金帮助该国的森林再植。但这可能还不够，因为这个国家失去森林的速度更快。
Femi Obadun is the director of forest management for Ondo states agriculture ministry.He said, "Protecting the forest means protecting ourselves.When we destroy the forest, we destroy humanity."
费米·奥巴顿是翁多州农业部森林管理主任。他说：“保护森林就是保护我们自己。当我们摧毁森林时，我们就摧毁了人类。”
That is something Marigi knows well, but he must make a living.
马里吉对此也很清楚，但他必须以此谋生。
Months after cutting the trees, Marigi returned to the forest to tie his 40 logs together so they could be transported.With other loggers, he paid for a tugboat to pull the logs through waterways from Ondo state to Lagos.
砍伐树木数月后，马里吉回到森林，将他的40根原木绑在一起，以便运输。与其他伐木工人一起，他支付了一艘拖船的费用，将木材从昂多州拖到拉各斯。
They built shelters on top of the floating logs to help protect themselves from the weather.Food was shared and they sang local songs to cheer themselves up.They did not sleep at night to make sure that the logs would not get away from the boat.
他们在漂浮的圆木上搭了个帐篷，以保护自己免受天气影响。他们分享食物，唱着当地歌曲让自己振作起来。他们晚上不睡觉，以防止原木飘走。
The boat stopped at several places to pick up more loggers and their logs.A single boat can transport thousands of such logs.
这艘船中途在几个地方停了下来，接上了更多的伐木者和他们的原木。一艘船可以运输数以千计的这种原木。
Marigis trip ended in Lagos where logs from Ondo state and other parts of the country came together.The logs were then cut and sold to users.
马里吉此行终点站是拉各斯，在那里，来自翁多州和该国其他地区的原木汇集在一起。然后，这些原木被切割并出售给用户。
Im Jill Robbins.
吉尔·罗宾斯报道。
