Assessing local people's perceptions and preference for ecosystem services to support management plan in Omo Biosphere Reserve, Nigeria

Abstract

Little attention has been given to local people's perception of and preferences for ES, especially in developing countries. Such disregard of local community's priorities for ecosystem services (ES) can lead to non-coherent development plans and minimise community participation in ES-based conservation. Therefore, this study conducted an ES assessment to understand how local people perceive the importance of ES and how they prioritise ES. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 302 residents in 65 enclaves of Omo Biosphere Reserve (OBR), Nigeria. Data analyses including logistic regression analysis and spatial analysis were carried out to explain the residents' responses to survey items. Respondents identified crops, fruits, water, firewood as the preferred ES. The explicit spatial maps showed a high priority for ES around the North-Western, Eastern and Southern region of the Reserve. Gender, age group, education level, income level and household size all played essential roles in the importance of ES. Income and household size were the only sociodemographic factors that influenced the willingness of the local people to conserve ES. This study could help to make an informed decision on the management of the resources and facilitate the provision of ES in the reserve. Thus, this research could contribute to the effective implementation of the Lima Action Plan (LAP) in OBR.