The Perceived Causes and Effects of Forest Resources Decline in Ngo Community, Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria.

Abstract

This study investigated the perceived causes and effects of forest decline in Ngo community, Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State with the core drive to ascertain the natural and man-made impact on the ecosystem function of the study area. This research was guided by two (2) objectives with two (2) corresponding research questions. This work utilized the descriptive survey design. A population of 400,919 projected from the 2006 population figure (211,009) was utilized and a sample size of 400 (approximated) formed the sample size. This work used mean, standard deviation and rank order as the techniques for the analysis of the component questions in the questionnaires retrieved. The result indicated that cutting down of forest trees to create roads and route for oil and gas pipes, setting up forest fire, extraction of firewood, timber and non-timber resources increase forest, soil erosion, land pollution and sedimentation are the remote causes and effects of forest decline in the study area. The researcher, therefore, recommended that the State government should see the need to create awareness among individuate in the study area on the benefits of conserving forest resources in the study area.