Secondary Dynamics of the Okomu Forest, Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The global environment has, over the years, come under intense pressure from population explosion and activities associated with urbanisation and industrialisation. In Nigeria, evidence of this is characterised by the need for land for several purposes ranging from industrial, residential to agricultural, amongst others. Consequent on these disturbances the integrity and sustainability of our forests have been greatly compromised. Consistent information on protected forests in Nigeria, for the purpose of efficient monitoring and management, are however limited. The Okomu forest, in spite of its status as a national park, is under intense pressure from the surrounding communities and towns. Information on the level and impact in the Okomu forest is limited.  This study therefore adopted the ecosystem approach, in examining the dynamics and present level of degradation occurring within the Okomu forest. Height, girth, crown diameter and density measurements were taken from ten quadrats of 20m by 20m in the disturbed and the undisturbed zones of the forest and a comparison carried out. The student t test, at the 0.05 significance level, revealed no significant difference between both zones in the height (t 110 = 0.139) and the girth (t 110 = 0.912). The crown diameter was however discovered to be significantly different in both zones (t 110 = 3.33). The tree numbers for both zones were seen to occur majorly in the earlier age classes ranging from 20m – 40m, with an exception occurring in the >80m class, confirming the trend of increasing degradation. Location specific and eco-friendly sustainable strategies should be adopted to ensure efficient management of the Okomu forest national park.