ISSN 2375-0979
African Journal of Wood Science and Forestry ISSN 2375-0979 Vol. 7 (5), pp. 001-006, May, 2019. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Forest stakeholder’s awareness of reduced impact logging (RIL) in Nigeria and Cameroon
A. L. Kehinde, J. A. Akande and E. Ntabe
1Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, P. M. B. 284, Iwo Osun State, Nigeria.
2Department of Soil, Crop and Environmental Management, P. M. B. 284, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria.
3Department of Forestry, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Science, University of Dschang Cameroon.
Accepted 21 September, 2018
Abstract
Damage associated with conventional logging practices is inconsistent with sustainable forest management. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) model code of forest harvest, otherwise described as Reduced Impact Logging has therefore been advanced to reduce negative impacts on residual vegetation, soils and other environmental attributes. This study investigated the awareness rating of forest stakeholders on reduced impact logging (RIL) in Nigeria and Cameroon. Structured questionnaire and interview schedules were used to obtain information from 134 and 117 randomly selected stakeholders in Nigeria and Cameroon respectively. In Nigeria, results showed that environmentalists and non-govermental organizations have high level awarenes of RIL; the Federal and State governments, also forestry institutions have medium level awareness; while logging contractors, fellers, local forest users, traditional rulers, youth, and security agents have low awareness of RIL. In Cameroon, only the rural dwellers or resident forest users have low awareness of RIL. The timber harvest crew have medium level awareness while all other identified stakeholders showed high wareness. In the two countries, all the stakeholders showed positive leaning towards accepting RIL for its advantageous social impact technological content, mode of standard enforcement and environmental impacts.
Key words: Forest stakeholders, reduced impact logging, environmental education.