Dependence on Forest Resources, and Community Perception of Existing Management Strategies of Akure-Ofosu, Oluwa, and Akure Forest Reserves in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

A good understanding of community use and perception of existing forest conservation and management practices plays a significant role in achieving conservation objectives. This study investigated the level of dependence on forest resources, and community perception of existing management strategies in Akure-Ofosu, Oluwa, and Akure forest reserves in southwest Nigeria using appropriate standard methods. A semi-structured questionnaire and key informant interviews were used to engage a total of 150 households and three community heads within 5 km of the forest reserves, including Ala-Elefosan, Onipetesi, and Aponmu communities respectively, for data collection. Data obtained revealed that majority (72, 94, and 76%) of respondents in Ala-Elefosan, Onipetesi, and Aponmu respectively, depend on the forestland for crop farming, which could account for the alarming rate of decline in forestlands. A large number of the respondents across the study areas also reported that existing conservation strategies are reinforcing household poverty as they are not able to farm freely within the reserve. The study further gave credence to the high dependence on the forest reserves to meet the basic needs and subsistence of forest communities and concluded that current management measures hold the possibility for conflicts and illegal activities in the region. It is therefore suggested that an integrated approach that engages the forest communities in the decision-making processes through inclusive governance, and measures that can address the mutual exclusivity between livelihoods and conservation should be put in place.