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POTENTIAL FOR PARTICIPATORY FOREST MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE IN COMMUNITY FORESTS CONSERVATION IN BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA
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.
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