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Incidence Of Deforestation Among The Populace And Environment
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Animals such as crocodile, vulture, tortoise, leopard were also equally
protected through traditional belief. In addition sacred groves harbor
several medicinal plants, which are of great value in primary health
care delivery. Most of Nigeria population still live in rural area which
are modern health care, these plants and animals are relied upon,
Advance in science and an upsurge of evangelism in Christian and Muslim
faiths have greatly reduced the influences of scared groves as method of
conservation. Cultural norms and taboos are violated with little of no
penalty and sacred groves are increasingly degraded. The Government of
today is concerned about deforestation and environmental degradation,
which is estimated to cost the country over $6 billion in a year. It has
failed to put in place effective measures to curb illegal logging and
only 6 percent of the land area is protected. Previous Government have
tried to prevent further loss through a ban on log exports, promoting
agro forestry and community based conservation scheme and encouraging
plantation and reforestation programs. The success was being limited.
Thus Kio (2002) suggested radical change in forest policy towards
mobilizing the rural population in the interest of sustainable
development. Other ways in which to protect and conserve the forest is
to create awareness through Environmental Education of the indigenous
people and the general public. Also by tracking down illegal logging and
bush burning. The paramount concern of this research is on the
incidence of deforestation in Odighi Community in Ovia North East Local
Government Area, Benin City, Edo State. The community is along Benin –
Akure road. The people in the community main occupation are farming and
the population is estimated to be above 2,000 people, which regarded as
one of the most populated area or community around the axes. The soil
here is very fertile which is suitable for growing vast variety of
crops like cassava, yam, plantain, vegetable, maize and also forest
tress. The forest reserve compartment located in Odighi is surrounded by
other neighboring villages namely Igbekhue, Oke, Odiguetue. The
landmass of the forest reserve is estimated to be 215 ha. About twenty
five years ago the compartment used to be highly forested area with a
high biodiversity of species including tress and animals but due to the
deforestation, the compartments are now a shadow of its old self with
the area totally turned to grassland (bare land). The trend is continued
through the presence of cattle searchers in the community who
continuously set the residue forest ablaze due to reasons yet unknown.
The study tends to investigate the incidence of deforestation, its rate
of occurrence and extent to which it has affected the environment and
suggest possible measures in controlling future deforestation in the
forest compartment in Odighi community.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Deforestation
is a serious problem in Nigeria as the forest in Nigeria plays an
important role in providing economic, social and ecological benefits as
well as provides forest products and services for the people. The forest
compartment used to be a vast forested land, what could have been
possible causes of loss of forest trees and at what rate does the loss
occurs.
Could it be due to population growth leading to expansion of settlements?
Could it be due to subsistence farming by rural or indigenous farmers?
Could it be as a result of illegal logger?
Or
could it be caused by a combination of two or more factors and what are
the environmental impacts of the process of deforestation in the area.
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