Authors:
Usman Dauda Danlami ,Jacintha Agbarachi Opara, Phd,Mohammed Babagana ,Alkali Umbra Usman and Ali Abba Gujja |
Abstract:
The study was conducted between the months of August October 2017 in Kwata village of
Mutum- Biyu in Gassol Local Government, Taraba state, Nigeria to assess the impacts of fuel
wood harvesting in the area. The study was a Descriptive one using both qualitative and
quantitative methods. A total of 133 respondents comprising of 133 local community members
and 10 staff of the department of Forestry and Wildlife of Gassol Local Government Area
selected by Purposive, Snowball and Systematic sampling techniques participated in the study.
Researcher made closed ended questionnaire as well as Structured Interview Guide were the
instrument used for data collection. Data collected was analysed using Descriptive Statistics.
Results of the study showed that demographically, the local community was mainly dominated
by married male youth of ages between 31-40 years having only primary and secondary
education. Livestock and crop farming were found to be the dominant occupation among the
local people. Impacts of fuel wood harvesting mainly manifest in the area in the form of loss of
soil fertility, loss of biodiversity, increased soil erosion, and windstorm among others. As a result
of the heavy dependence on the soil resources for livelihood engaging in various deforestation
acts such as continuous felling down of tress for different purposes, over grazing, bush burning
and others, the impacts are most likely to escalate. Based on these findings, it was therefore
recommended that felling down of trees in the area should be well regulated, more job
opportunities should be made available to the local communities in order to dissuade them from
deforestation acts, strict laws should be established and enforced, nursery belts be established in
the area where the local people can easily pick seedlings and plant them etc.
|
