Abstract
This study examined the existing forest management strategies and land cover change in one of nature forest reserves in Nigeria. It analysed freely available Landsat imageries for the assessment of land cover change between 1986 and 2014, and conducted key informant interviews on forest guards and an administrator in relevant ministry, for information on management practiced. Results showed that about 35.2% of the vegetal cover were lost within the study period; 80% of the interviewed forest guards attributed such loss to unrestricted access of the surrounding communities, 60% to logging or chain saw operation, and 40% to farming practices and bush burning in the reserve. Management practiced is that, which ensures passive input with active harvesting, but cannot be fixed within a specific sustainable strategy of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. The study concluded that given the management strategy practiced in the forest reserve, which also allows defaulters of forest reserve regulations to escape punishment because they can ‘settle’, indicates that corruption, rather than poverty, is the major drive of deforestation in the area.
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Appendices
Appendix 1: Questionnaire
Dear Sir/Ma,
This questionnaire seeks to obtain information from you on Ife nature reserve on the management strategies in Ife Nature Reserve. Kindly respond to the questions on the questionnaire with your honest opinion or supply required details where necessary and all information will be strictly used for academic purpose and treated as confidential. Thank you.
Section A: Demographic characteristics of the respondent
Section B: Forest management strategies
Section C: The role of forest management strategies
Role | Agree | Strongly agree | Disagree | Strongly disagree |
---|---|---|---|---|
The management provide adequate Finance | ||||
There is adequate Planning of operations within the reserve | ||||
The forestry commission organizes workshop/training on forest issues frequently | ||||
Staffs are enough in the reserve | ||||
The stated rules and regulations guiding the forest reserve are effective. | ||||
There is a management plan for Ife nature reserve | ||||
The operations of saw millers are strictly regulated |
Appendix 2: Basic principles for identifying forest management strategies
S/N | Basic characteristics | Basic principle by forest management strategy intensity scale | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Passive unmanaged forest nature reserve | Low close-to-nature forestry | Medium combined objective forestry | High intensive even-aged forestry | Intensive short rotation forestry | ||
1 | Naturalness of tree species composition | Only species characteristic of the potential natural vegetation | Native or site-adapted species | Tree species suitable for the site | High “Intensive even-aged forestry” | Any species (not invasive) |
2 | Tree improvement | No | Not genetically modified or derived from tree breeding programs | Planting material can be derived from tree breeding but not genetically modified | Planting material can be derived from tree breeding but not genetically modified | Planting material can be derived from tree breeding or produced via genetic modification |
3 | Type of regeneration | Natural regeneration or natural succession | Natural regeneration (planting for enrichment or change in tree species | Natural regeneration, planting, and seeding | Natural regeneration, planting, and seeding | Planting, seeding |
4 | Machine operation | No | Extensive | Medium | Intensive | Most intensive |
5 | Soil cultivation | No | No (only to introduce natural regeneration) | Possible (mainly to promote natural regeneration | Possible | Yes |
6 | Fertilization/liming | No | No | No (only if devastated soil) | Possible | Yes |
7 | Application of chemical agents | No | (only if devastated soil) | Possible as a last Resort | Possible | Possible |
8 | Integration of nature protection | High | High | High | Medium | Low |
9 | Tree removals | No | Stem | Stem and crown | up to whole tree | Whole tree and Residues |
10 | Final harvest (and main silvicultural) system | No | Mimics natural disturbances Single Stem Selection Group Selection Irregular shelter wood | All possible Seed tree Strip shelter wood Group shelter wood Uniform shelter wood Coppice with standards | All possible, clear cut (long rotation) preferably used | All possible, Clear cut (shorter rotation) |
11 | Maturity | No intervention | Long rotation length | Medium rotation length | Short rotation length. (financial return) | Shortest rotation length (financial return) |
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Eludoyin, A.O., Iyanda, O.O. Land cover change and forest management strategies in Ife nature reserve, Nigeria. GeoJournal 84, 1531–1548 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-018-9936-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-018-9936-6