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Land cover change and forest management strategies in Ife nature reserve, Nigeria

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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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Correspondence to Adebayo Oluwole Eludoyin.

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

figure a

Section B: Forest management strategies

figure b

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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