TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title Page
i
Certification
ii
Dedication
iii
Acknowledgement
iv
Table of
Contents
v
List of Tables
viii
List of Acronyms
ix
Abstract
x
CHAPTER ONE:
INTRODUCTION
1
Background of
Study
1
Statement of the
Problem
4
Objectives of the
Study
6
Research
Hypotheses
7
Justification
7
CHAPTER TWO:
LITERATURE REVIEW
9
2.1Deforestation in
Nigeria
9
2.2 Nigeria Forestry
Policy
11
2.3 Forest Management
and Conservation in Nigeria
13
2.4 Sustainable
Forest Management in Nigeria
16
2.5 The Concept of
Participatory Forest Management 17
2.6 Rational For
Participatory Forest Management 18
2.7 Incentives for
Local People in Participatory Forest Management 21
2.8 The Relevance of
Indigenous Knowledge 23
2.9 Theoretical
Framework
25
2.10 Analytical
Framework
27
CHAPTER THREE:
METHODOLOGY 31
3.1 Study Area
31
3.2 Sample
Procedure
32
3.3 Method of Data
Collection
33
3.4 Method of Data
Analysis
33
3.5 Model
Specification
33
3.5.1 Probit
Model
33
3.5.2 Likert Scale
Rating Techniques
35
3.5.3 Contingent
Valuation Method
35
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS
AND DISCUSSIONS 37
4.0 Socio-economic
Characteristics of the Respondents
37
4.1.1 Age
Distribution of Respondents 37
4.1.2 Sex of
Respondents
38
4.1.3 Educational
Level of Respondents 38
4.1.4 Annual Income
of Respondents 39
4.1.5 Occupation of
Respondents
39
4.1.6 Respondents
Household Size 40
4.1.7 Respondent
Usage of Forest
40
4.1.8 Environmental
Problem
41
4.1.9 Types of
Forest
42
4.1.10 Deforestation
Pattern
43
4.1.11 Intensity of
Forest Management Practices
44
4.1.12 Factors
Affecting Respondent Perception to the Use of PFMS 47
4.1.13 Probit Model
Result on Perception 48
4.1.14 Probit Model
Result for WTP (Variable Explanation)
50
4.1.15 Empirical
Analysis for WTP
51
4.1.16 Constraints to
Establishment of PFMS 52
CHAPTER FIVE:
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION 56
5.1 Summary of
Findings
56
5.2 Conclusion 57
5.3
Recommendation
58
REFERENCES 60
Appendix I:
Questionnaire 68
LIST OF TABLES
Table
Page4.1Frequency
distribution of respondent according to age
37
4.2 Frequency
distribution of respondent with regard to sex 38
4.3 Frequency
distribution of respondent according to educational status 38
4.4 Frequency
distribution of respondents according to annual income level 39
4.5 Frequency
distribution of respondents with regard to occupation 39
4.6 Frequency
distribution of respondents according to household size 40
4.7 Frequency
distribution of respondents with regard to forest usage 40
4.8 Frequency
distribution of respondents by types of environmental problem 41
4.9 Distribution of
respondents by type of forest
42
4.10 Frequency
distribution of respondents by deforestation pattern 43
4.11 Result of
Intensity of forest management practices 46
4.12 Variable
explanation for respondents perception 47
4.13 Probit model
result on perception of PFMS 48
4.14 Variable
explanation for WTP for PFMS 50
4.15 Empirical
analysis for WTP for PFMS 51
4.16 Constraints to
the use of PFMS
53
LIST OF ACRONYMS
PFMS – Participatory
forest management structure
NTFP – Non Timber Forest
Products
FAO – Food and
Agriculture organization
WTP – Willingness to
Pay
IK – Indigenous
Knowledge
CVM – Contingent
valuation model
ABSTRACT
Many forest reserves
in the country were originally set up in recognition of the importance of
forest. However, management of existing forest land is appalling. In recent
years, there have been high rate of deforestation in Bayelsa state. There is
therefore a need for proper management of forest and its resources. The study
analysed the potential for the use of participatory forest management structure
in the conservation of forest resources in Bayelsa state using a sample size
150 respondents that were obtained using a multistage sampling technique. Three
out of the eight local government areas in Bayelsa state (Ogbia, Yenagoa and
Ekeremor) each reflecting the three agricultural zones. Interviewed schedules
and structured questionnaire were administered to elicit information from the
respondents. Data gotten from both primary and secondary sources were analysed
using descriptive and inferential statistics which include: frequencies, means,
percentages, probit regression model and likert rating scale. As regard the
socio economic characteristics of the respondent, the result shows that
majority (66.25%) were male while
most(40.8%) of them were in the age bracket of 41 – 50 years, closely followed
by 31 – 40 years (23.1%),
Also, household size
was majorly(40%) in the bracket of 5 – 8, with a mean household size of 7.
Educationally, majority (47.0%) attended primary school, while 5.4% attended
higher education. The results reveal that the fresh water swamp forest
represent the highest concentration of forest in the locality. This was closely
followed by mangrove forest (23.1%) and the riparian forest (15.4%). Most of
the management practices were not observed, thus leaving the forest in a grave
situation. However findings reveal that traditional oriented management was
actively practiced although in a limited proportion. As regard the perception
of the local people to the use of P.F.M.S for forest management, four out of
the nine variables used in the probit regression showed positive and
significant contribution to the variation in the perception of the use
PFMS. These include; educational status,
occupation, benefit from forest and as mechanism for conflict resolution. These
factors help in explaining the variability in the perception of the people in
the use of PFMS. The other variable; environmental problem and annual income
were positive but not significant. In terms of the willingness to pay, three of
the eight variables tested showed positive coefficient and were significant. These
were, age, forest benefit, and gender. The likert rating scale indicates that
some constraints such as lack of funds, insufficient education/publicity, lack
of political will, corruption, lack of well trained staffs came out top in the
ranking of challenges or constraints to the establishment of PFMS. It was
therefore recommended that traditional resources management should be promoted
more so as it gives the local people the opportunity to partake in forest
management and also the diversification of the economy so as to divert the
attention of the rural dwellers on the excessive exploitation of the
forest.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF STUDY
The term forest embraces a large
variety of landscapes vegetation formation and ecosystem (Obot, 1997). Forest contains a number of natural resources
which develop their distinctive value, when wisely used and harnessed in a
sustainable way or acquire environmental threat characteristic when over
exploited. Nigeria forest, like elsewhere in the world are important for the
ecosystem services they provide, including watershed protection, climate
control, and animal species (Nigerian environmental analysis 2002). This forest
also provides valuable commercial timber sources and other commercially
harvested products such as resin, spices, rattan and many more. The rural
populace also benefit largely from forest resources as a source for fuel wood
and building materials and for a myriad of non tree forest products (NTFP) with
various uses as food, flavouring, medicines, various domestic use and also in
some case for their traditional values.
Before independence, the available
forest resources could adequately cater for the country’s requirement, both to
meet the export and local consumption. However, after independence, there was
pressure on the forest resources to generate income to support the young
economy and meet the need of the ever increasing population (EC-FAO 2003). The
bulk of the forest and forest resources that remained hitherto relatively
undisturbed until the 1980, have been lost in the last two decades. In 1992,
forest accounted for only 9.61% (8.874.225.ha) of Nigeria’s total land area
measuring about 923,768,000ha. Okonta (1998) noted that during the period 1980,
it was estimated that 43.48% of the total forest ecosystem had been converted
to other uses as a result of human activities. Current estimates put the rate
of forest depletion at 3.3% per year (FAO, 2005). Based on this, it has been
estimated that the country will lose all her forest by the year 2020. FORMECU
(1994) projected the yield from the forest estates between the year 2000 and
2010, putting it at a total of 8273m2 for 2000 and 7316m2 for 2010, implying
that less wood resources would be available from the forest in the future if
the current deforestation rate is sustained. Forest production has fallen,
creating an imbalance between supply and demand. From its previous status as a
significant exporter of forest products Nigeria has become a net importer (Status
of tropical forest management, 2003). The continued loss of Nigeria’s tropical
forest has taken its toll on the county’s biodiversity resources. Nigeria has a
diverse collection of flora and fauna, including 274 species of mammals, 830
species of birds and 5,081 plant species out of which 0.14% of the animal
species is threatened and 0.22% is endangered. Similarly, the estimated 70% of
the rural poor are in great danger as it has been established that the poorest
often suffer most from the consequence of environmental degradation as a result
of their immediate dependence on the natural resource base for their
necessities (Soussan, 1998).
In an attempt to
bring to a halt, the deplorable state of forestry in Nigeria, forest reserves
were constituted in the early twenties and communities in the past never
tempered with the reserves as they obeyed and respected the law that forbade
any form of encroachment into the reserves (Amika, 1993). This was partly due
to low population density. But with increased local population, migration, land
hunger, cash squeeze, food scarcity and awareness, people’s attention turned to
the forest. Together, the national parks cover about 22,592 km2, which is about
2.5% of the country’s landmass. They are owned and managed exclusively by the
federal government hence, leaving no room for local participation.
However, Ezealor (2002), Aminukano and Marguba (2002), stated that protection of habitats and
species has long been practiced by various cultures in Nigeria through their
preservation of groves and other distinctive habitats for religious, ceremonial
and hunting purposes. Marguba (2002), further reported that Nigeria’s first
modern forest reserves were created in 1887. The first forestry act enacted in
1937 established the forest reserve system under the state government. A more
comprehensive forest law was latter established in 1956 – the law of
preservation and control of eastern Nigeria. By 1950 forest reserves covered
about 8% of the country’s land area and gradually rose to 11% by 1980.
Thereafter, an apparent inability to formulate policies and implement led to
the current situation whereby even protected areas are being de-reserved. Also
these forest reserves have been seriously neglected and received little or no improvement
in terms of investment and management.
Failure of most conservation
schemes necessitates scholars and policy makers’ reconsideration of the role of
community in resource management, as there is a real danger of worsening social
conflict and degradation fueled by over exploitation of natural resources. The
tropical timber organization defines sustainable forest management as the
process of managing forest land to achieve one or more clearly specified
objectives of management with regards to the production of a continued flow of
desired forest products and services without undue reduction in its inherent
values and future productivity and without undue undesirable effects on the
physical and social environment (Babier, 2005).
Current discourse governing
community based conservation policy emphasizes the role of community in
bringing about decentralization, meaningful participation and effective
conservation (Fisher, 1999). Hence there is need to evolve resource management
mechanism that could arrest the decline in future of resources and for the
mechanism to attained full objectives, they must be community based.
Feyerabrand and Taronwski (2005), argued that participatory management is a
partnership among social actors with legitimate interest, capacities and
commitment regarding the natural resources of the state with term of
partnership specifying management factors of all the component body.
In Nigeria, Enugu and Cross River
States have taken giant steps to combat deforestation by establishing a forest
management committee involving local communities in the management of reserve
areas. Wily (2002), stated that the first initiative was the Ekuri community
initiative which began in 1992 in Cross River State. Both reserved and
unreserved forest is getting involved in community forest initiative.
Ogar (2008), asserted
that the concept of participatory forest management committee in Cross River
State is yielding significant results. However, the same cannot be said of
Bayelsa State which bestrides much of Africa’s largest wetland, and Nigeria’s
thriving petroleum business but has no formalized properly managed forest or
wood industry (Azaki, 2003). The forests are extensive and are often regarded
as inexhaustible with the result that little attention is given to conserving
of these resources. Ogon (2006), states that natural resources found in the
region presently suffers from the well known “tragedy of the Commons” as the
right of access is collectively shared creating room for competition without
rules of engagement. It has been estimated that about 50% of mangroves in
Nigeria have been lost as a result of deforestation (World Resources,
1990). Hence, there is need for
government and other stakeholders to work together so as to salvage the forest
from total extinction.