Implication of forest offences on sustainable forest management among stakeholders in southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Illegal logging is a major problem for many timber-producing countries in the developing world.The damage caused by illegal activities and corrupt practices in the Nigerian forest is a problem of enormous proportions. The study assessed forest offences among  stakeholders and its implication on sustainable forest management in six States of South-west Nigeria with a view to recommending policy options for sustainable forest  management. The States include Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti. The survey was conducted through the use of structured questionnaire and focus group discussions. The respondents were made up of forest officers, saw-millers, timber contractors, and people living within and around the Forest Reserves. Data were presented using descriptive statistics. Identified Forest Offences in Forest Reserves were illegal felling of trees (19.8%), illegal farming (18.9%), arson (15.9%), illegal hunting (15.7%), trespassing (15.2%) and misuse of pass-hammer (14.5%). There was no significant variation in the proportion of Forest offences across the States. Illegal felling of trees was the most common Forest offence among both the saw-millers (97.2%) and timber contractors (94.8%), while hunting in the Reserves was the most common Forest offence among farmers (80.0%). Among forestry officials, 54.0% indicated that forestry officials aided Forest offences. It is  recommended that Government should provide forestry officials with the necessary financial support,  equipment, communication and transportation to enable them carry out their work promptly and efficiently. In addition, stiffer penalties should be meted out to forest offenders to serve as deterrent to others.