Local Perceptions of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Benin, West Africa

Abstract

Ecosystem services are closely linked to the daily lives of local communities, particularly those living near forests. The study of the local perceptions of these services is relevant because they vary depending on the community, the study period, and the environment. So beyond the inventorying of ecosystem services, understanding the perceptions of local communities regarding these services remains a necessity. Our study aims to analyze how local communities perceive the ecosystem services provided by forests and the factors that determine these perceptions. We collected data from 232 heads of households across 23 villages bordering the forest and analyzed them using descriptive statistics and ordered Probit analysis. The results showed that provisioning services (such as plant-derived medicines, rafters and planks, livestock feed, crops, and firewood) were the most important, followed by regulating and supporting services (including soil formation, erosion control, and climate regulation) are the most important. Finally, cultural services (encompassing cultural practices, heritage, and spirituality) were perceived as important. However, communities did not perceive the value of ecotourism. Factors influencing these perceptions included gender (male), age (young individuals), occupation in farming, household size, level of education, Bariba ethnicity and income. To ensure the sustainable utilization of forest resources in the region, it is necessary to encourage young people to adopt environmentally friendly agricultural practices, to use improved stoves that require less wood and promote cultural services to diversify their sources of income.