The Okomu Forest Reserve in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria: Evaluating its Services to Ecosystem and Small Holder Crop Farmers

Year 2021, Volume: 21 Issue: 1, 30 - 40, 03.04.2021

Frank Oroka Nelly Ureıgho

https://doi.org/10.17475/kastorman.908613

Abstract

Aim of study: The basis for sustainable conservation of any protected forest area is determined by the services it provides to the ecosystem and immediate communities. This study seeks to evaluate the services provided by the Okomu Forest Reserve that should warrant its conservation.
Area of study: The study was conducted in Okomu Forest Reserve in Edo State, Southern Nigeria. The major practices of farmers in the surrounding communities are sole cassava and intercropping cassava with maize, melon and groundnut.
Material and methods: The function system was used to evaluate the Okomu Forest Reserve, using a questionnaire containing a checklist of ecosystem functions. Respondents for the rural survey were crop farmers, while the urban survey were tourists from urban centres.
Main results: Results showed that rural dwellers' important functions were food/nutrition, fuel energy, and fishing with mean values of 2.81, 2.49 and 2.04 respectively, while the urban dwellers’ important functions were recreation/tourism, educational/scientific information and nature protection with mean values of 2.82, 2.76 and 2.72 respectively.
Highlights: The order of importance of forest functions as perceived by the urban respondents from the highest was carrier, information, regulation and least with production. The rural dwellers' perception from the highest was carrier, production and information functions as least.

Keywords

Okomu Forest Reserve, Ecosystem Functions, Nigeria

Nijerya’nın Nijer Delta Bölgesindeki Okomu Orman Rezervinin Ekosisteme ve Küçük Ölçekli Çiftçilere Olan Hizmetlerinin Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Çalışmanın amacı: Herhangi bir korunan orman alanının sürdürülebilir korumasının temeli, ekosisteme ve yakın topluluklara sağladığı hizmetler tarafından belirlenir. Bu çalışma, Okomu Orman Koruma Alanı tarafından sağlanan ve korunmasını garanti altına alan hizmetleri değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır.
Çalışma alanı: Çalışma, Güney Nijerya, Edo Eyaletindeki Okomu Orman Koruma Alanı'nda gerçekleştirildi. Çevreleyen topluluklardaki çiftçilerin başlıca uygulamaları tek manyok ve manyokun mısır, kavun ve yer fıstığı ile karıştırılmasıdır.
Materyal ve yöntem: Fonksiyon sistemi, ekosistem fonksiyonlarının bir kontrol listesini içeren bir anket kullanılarak Okomu Orman Rezervini değerlendirmek için kullanıldı. Kırsal ankete yanıt verenler mahsul çiftçileri iken, kentsel anket kent merkezlerinden turistlerdi.
Temel sonuçlar: Sonuçlar, kırsal kesimde yaşayanların önemli işlevlerinin sırasıyla 2.81, 2.49 ve 2.04 ortalama değerlerle gıda / beslenme, yakıt enerjisi ve balıkçılık olduğunu, kent sakinlerinin önemli işlevlerinin ise rekreasyon / turizm, eğitim / bilimsel bilgi ve doğa olduğunu göstermiştir. Sırasıyla 2.82, 2.76 ve 2.72 ortalama değerlerle koruma.
Araştırma vurguları: Kentsel katılımcılar tarafından en yüksekten algılanan orman işlevlerinin önem sırası, taşıyıcı, bilgi, düzenleme ve en az üretimle idi. Kırsal kesimde yaşayanların en yüksek algısı taşıyıcı, üretim ve en az bilgi işlevleri idi.

Keywords

Okomu Orman Koruma Alanı, Ekosistem Fonksiyonları, Nijerya

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