Potential impact on biodiversity in Kwale's forest reserve by power plant establishments

Abstract

Kwale forest reserve with gazetted area of 3km 2 in the present Delta state, south eastern Nigeria, is surrounded by numbers of adjoining communities such as Okpai, Umu-uzor, Ugbome, Nkwor, Amama and Asa. The fringe ecosystem is endowed with important conservation-status species like primate: Cercopithecus spp; family of artiodactyla, Tragelaphus scriptus, rodentia : Dendrohyrax arborea, Thryonomys swinderianus; carnivores Panthera leo, Vulpes pallida and numbers of avifauna species as well as reptilea. The natural high forest ecosystem consists of emergent trees, such as: Ceiba pentandra , Landolphia oweriensis ; the under storeys: Strychnos spinosa , Lindaclearia dentata and the surrounding inhabitant drawn most of their livelihood from the natural ecosystem like bush meat which provide protein, firewood, water for cooking and other basic necessities. The use of Kwale forest reserve and the surrounding ecosystem by the Independent Power Plant (IPP) for electricity generation will continue to contribute to the loss of most natural resource base (flora and fauna). Many of such developmental projects (eco-development) are executed daily in the country and have resultant ecosystem damage, species erosion and environmental degradation. The exploitation over past decades has left a wasteland with serious environmental problems. The percentage preference for hunting of primate, rodent, antelope and avifauna are 55%, 20%, 20%, 5%, respectively, while the preference for consumption of meat indicated that bush meat is mostly preferred (33.5%) by the inhabitants, compared to other conventional sources such as beef, pork, fish, and chicken with 20.6%, 10.5%, 25.6% and 10.0%, respectively. It is pertinent to note that strategic management will be needed to protect, sustain, and manage the Kwale forest reserve along side with IPP developmental concept, thus, there is a need for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a tool for decision makers as well as ecosystem managers. This is necessary for timely communication of information between the policy makers (government) and stakeholders conducting specific projects that have mutual benefits to the general public.