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Evaluation Of The Impact Of Deforestation On The Environment
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The level of community nutrition is sometimes linked to fuel wood
availability and cost, majority of the people residing in Ukwa local
government area of Imo state use fuel wood as their main source of
energy for cooking. In many areas, due to increasing population the
existing wood resources are over exploited. With extensive
deforestation, villagers in Ukwa local government area of Imo state are
compelled to walk long distance to fetch fuel wood. This tends to have
serious consequences for local agricultural production and productivity
because; the rural communities also rely on this substituted resource
for improving soil fertility. Apart from the deterioration in the
quality of life associated with forest degradation, there are other more
insidious effects that endanger the future of humans on this planet.
In
Nigeria, environmental problems that are termed degradation
collectively, such as desert encroachment, erosion, flooding and drought
etc all have a strong link with deforestation. In some parts of
South-Eastern states for instance, escalated soil erosion, flooding,
increase in aridity, all of which have strong relationship with
deforestation, have affected a significant proportion of the state.
According
to (; Chowdhury 2013) academia, scholars and researchers are of the
opinion that deforestation risk reduction is a systematic approach of
identifying, addressing, and reducing the risks of disaster to a
community. Generally, deforestation is caused by a variety of factors.
However, (Ajibade, 2012) viewed deforestation as clearing of any area of
its natural vegetation cover which is normally lead to decrease in
plants population resulting in loss of plant biodiversity Nonetheless,
excessive deforestation over a long period has been the cause of many
drought like features. Deforestation presents multiple environmental
problems in our society today.
In view of the background this study
intends evaluate the impact of deforestation on the environment using
Ukwa L.G.A of Imo state as a case study.
1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are as follows;
1. To find out whether there are deforestation activities in Ukwa L.G.A of Imo state
2. To examine the sources of deforestation in Ukwa L.G.A of Imo state
3. To evaluate the impact of deforestation on the environment in Ukwa L.G.A of Imo state
4. To recommend ways for controlling deforestation activities in Ukwa L.G.A of Imo state
1.3 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
Extensive
tropical deforestation is a relatively modern event that gained
momentum in the 20th century and particularly in the last half of the
20th century. The struggle to save the world’s rainforests and other
forests continues and there is a growing worldwide concern about the
issue. In order to save forests, we need to know why they are being
destroyed. Distinguishing between the agents of deforestation and its
causes is very important in order to understand the major determinants
of deforestation. The agents of deforestation are those slash and burn
farmers, commercial farmers, ranchers, loggers, firewood collectors,
infra-structure developers and others who are cutting down the forests.
Causes of deforestation are the forces that motivate the agents to clear
the forests.
The impact of deforestation on the environment is
devastating. Hence, strategies to prevent and control the menace are
being discussed in this study.
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