ASSESSMENT OF INDIGENOUS FOREST AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION PRACTICES IN AKOKO-EDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study is conducted to assess the indigenous forest and wildlife conservation practices in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. The objectives of the study are to identify the location of the sacred grove and cultural practices like customary laws and taboos used to enhance conservation in the area. Data were collected by the use of structured questionnaires distributed to 202 respondents in the local government area. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentage, and simple chi-square test was used to separate significant means. The results showed that 36.6, 33.2, 15.8 and 14.4% of the respondents agreed that groves were located in cemeteries, market squares, centres of towns and out-skirts of towns respectively. 99.5% agreed that cultural practices were used to protect endangered species, 98% agreed they were used to conserve medicinal plants, 83.2% agreed that religion, migration and industrialization have negatively affected the use of cultural practices for conservation. Also, 92.6% agreed that customary laws were used to conserve flora and fauna in the area, whereas, 97% agreed that applying appropriate sanctions on defaulters will help conservation. It was therefore recommended that new ways of conservation be explored in the area now that cultural practices are being abandoned because of massive development and industrialization.