**3.2 Justification for the study**

This research seeks to bring to the awareness of government and stakeholders on the uncontrolled threat to the ecological system in the study area, and hence the need to asses, monitor and prevent the threatened and endangered endemic forest resources from extinction. Therefore, this study will provide information to guide

*Analysis of Anthropogenic Impediments to African Forest Ecosystems Conservation… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104452*

improvements to the management and restoration of forest vegetation in GFR to commercial activities and local economies [13]. This research also seeks to examine related causes and other basic driving forces on account of forest loss as well as proffer solutions towards optimal conservation and sustenance of biodiversity in the study area. Finally, this study calls for the need to provide vivid information on threats encountered at the study area, such as threats due to population pressure, climate change, nutrient loading, pollution and over-exploitation.

## **4. Materials and methods**

The methodology adopted in the course of this research is the mixed method, i.e. qualitative and quantitative methods. In this study, a total of 200 key respondents participated in it, which were drawn from the seven main communities namely Ibusogboro, Oloowa, Daley North and south, Onipe, Mamu, Olubi and Onipanu respectively. These included government officials, civil servants (related to vegetation conservation), headsmen, local leaders, traditional healers, farmers, traders, artisans, grass root dwellers, fishermen, hunters, lumbers, community members and the general public residing in the study area. Out of the 200 copies of the questionnaire distributed, 194 were returned, giving a response rate of 97%. This offered rich information about the impacts of forest loss at the study area. Copies of the questionnaire were distributed covering areas listed in **Table 1** below.

#### **4.1 Features of Forest loss changes in study area**

This section analyses the respondents reaction to the features of forest loss in GFR,

#### *4.1.1 Causes of Forest loss in GFR*

This section analyzed respondents' opinion to the causes of forest loss in GFR. The analysis of the responses is tabulated in **Table 2**.

**Table 2** depicts the total number of causes of forest loss which were received from the GFR respondents, chief of which is illegal logging (190/97.9%), and this assertion is consistent with existing literature by Mantyka-Pringle [14]. This is seconded by deforestation (169/87.1%). Also, climate change, which is caused by human activities in the study area, (e.g. through carbon emissions, deforestation, urbanization, population increase, etc.) accounts for 128 (65.9%).

#### *4.1.2 The anthropogenic interventions in the study area*

In response to the survey form, the researcher sought to know the anthropogenic factors that occur in GFR. The study reveals the viewpoints of the respondents, as presented in **Table 3**.

**Table 3** above reveals the depicts the total number of anthropogenic interventions that take place in GFR, which reveals that most respondents (i.e. 188 or 96.9%) were of the opinion that illegal logging was a major anthropogenic action in the study area, and is evident in locations such as Mamu, Ibusogboro, and environs. This assertion is further buttressed by Adedeji [15], who stressed that over 5240 hectares of forest vegetation was lost to other land uses from year 1984 to 2014 (average of over 140 hectares/year loss). Additionally, land development and illegal woodcutting accounts


#### *Vegetation Dynamics, Changing Ecosystems and Human Responsibility*

#### **Table 1.**

*Gender respondents characterization.*

for 162 (57.9%) and 188 (96.9%) responses respectively, while conversion of ecosystem for agriculture accounts for 167 (86.1%). Also, judging from the responses, it is evident that illegal waste disposal at vegetation land cover areas is still an environmental challenge in the study area, and this poses negative environmental effects, and this include inhibition in the population and activities of soil microbes as well as enzyme activities required for soil fertility, [16], reduction in the percentage of soil organic matter, decreased soil basal respiration [17], etc.

*Analysis of Anthropogenic Impediments to African Forest Ecosystems Conservation… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104452*


#### **Table 2.**

*Causes of Forest loss in the study area.*


#### **Table 3.**

*Anthropogenic interventions in GFR.*

#### *4.1.3 The reasons for anthropogenic influences in GFR*

The analysis of question 17 of the questionnaire is centred on the reasons for the anthropogenic influences of the inhabitants in GFR, which centred on poverty, weak implementation of government policy and ignorance. The result is presented as pie chart in **Figure 2** below.

**Figure 2** illustrates the reasons for anthropogenic factors by the respondents. The highest frequency related to the aforementioned is poverty, which is 117 (60.3%). Poverty is still a major challenge in the study area, and this viewpoint is in conformity with Adeoye [18], who opined that about over 33% of surveyed respondents in the study area earn below N25, 000 monthly. Also, 41 (21.1%) respondents underpinned the weak implementation of government policies, while 36 (18.6%) claimed it could be due to ignorance.

**Figure 2.** *Pie chart depicting reasons for anthropogenic actions in the study area.*
