ASSESSMENT OF FOREST GOVERNANCE IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Forest Governance (FG) is the process of making and implementing decisions on forests. This comprises policy, legal and administrative frameworks that determine how forests are managed. Its quality is central to the enhancement of forest benefits. In Nigeria, poor FG has been linked with forest loss and degradation with dire consequences. However, information is limited in tackling this problem in southwestern Nigeria. Therefore, the elements of forest governance were investigated in Southwestern Nigeria. Two forest reserves were purposively selected in each of the six states with the exception of Lagos where the only one (Ogun River Forest Reserve (ORFR)) under some form of management was sampled. The other selected forest reserves were: Ogbese and Ikere (Ekiti); Aworo and Olokemeji (Ogun); Oluwa and Akure (Ondo); Shasha and Ago-Owu (Osun); Gambari and Osho (Oyo). Landsat satellite imagery was used to determine the extent of forest cover, changes in cover and rate of deforestation in the selected forest reserves from 1987 to 2017, using supervised classification method. An established sampling proportionate to size was used to select timber contractors (n=82), saw millers (n=152), plank dealers (n=110), forest community dwellers (n=149) and forest plantation owners (n=40). All the forestry staff in Lagos State due to their limited number and fifty percent of forestry staff (n=175) in other states were sampled for questionnaire administration. Data obtained on staffing, policy, management plan, forest law enforcement, planning, decision-making processes, factors negating good forest governance and stakeholders’ willingness to own forest plantation were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square and logistic regression at α0.05. Forest cover was highest in Oluwa (686.7km2) and least in ORFR (5.2km2) in 2017. Percentage change in forest cover was highest in Ogbese (16.8%) and least in Ago-Owu (-89.1%). Annual rate of deforestation was highest in Akure (2.3%) and least in Ikere (0.2%) between 1987 and 2017. Four forest reserves (ORFR, Oluwa, Akure and Shasha) had no technical staff while Ikere forest reserve recorded the least deficit in technical staff (66.7%). The highest deficit in professional staff was recorded in Shasha (96.0%) while no deficit was recorded in Ikere and ORFR. Stakeholder’s knowledge on forestry issues had no significant relationship with involvement in forest policy formulation (χ2=1.2). Management plans were perceived to be obsolete in all the states except in Ekiti State (18.9%). Existence of forest law had no significant relationship with crime prevention (χ2=1.4) and detection (χ2=0.1). Perception on existence of checks and balances was highest in Ekiti (54.5%) and least in Osun State (18.2%). There was significant relationship between forest policy institutional framework support and planning (χ2=11.68) but not with decision-making processes (χ2=3.5). The forestry sector lacked transparency (Odd ratio (OR) =94.5) and participation (OR=79.3) which negatively influenced good forest governance. Provision of seedlings (OR=12.9) and capacity building (OR=2.3) influenced stakeholders’ willingness to own forest plantation. Checks and balances in extant state forest policies were weak and forest management plans were obsolete in Southwestern Nigeria. These could negatively affect the effectiveness of forest governance.