An Assessment of the Impact of Round Wood Collection on Deforestation in Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose: The high cost of alternative sources of household energy and steel in Nigeria is aggravating the dependence on forest frontiers in search of forest wood for construction, charcoal production, and fuel wood gathering for heating. This necessitates the study to access the impact of Round Wood Collection (proxies as Tree Logging, Charcoal Production, and Fuel Wood Collection) on Deforestation in Benue State, Nigeria.
 Methodology: A survey design research was used for the study with the instrument of a structured questionnaire administered to 400 respondents determined by Taro Yamane’s (1967) sampling formula and selected through two-stage sampling techniques across nine (9) Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Benue State. The data elicited from the field was analyzed through descriptive statistics and a regression with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) 23.
 Findings: The result showed a significant positive relationship between Round Wood Collection (RWC) and Deforestation (DEF) in Benue State, implying that DEF in Benue State will increase significantly by 24.4%, 44.7%, and 28.4% as a result of a percent change in the rate of Tree Logging, Charcoal Production, and Fuel Wood Collection respectively in the state.
 Conclusion: The study concludes that RWC impacts negatively on the forests and vegetation cover in Benue State which has a negative ripple effect on biodiversity, the ozone layer, ecosystem functioning, and livelihoods of forest fringe communities.
 Recommendation: The study recommends that the Benue State government should increase funding to the State Department of Forestry and employ adequate forest personnel to enhance forest management and revenue yields from the forests.