Public perceptions of Urban Forests in Okitipupa Nigeria: Implication for Environmental Conservation

The paper assessed the public perceptions of urban forest in Okitipupa’ Nigeria with a view to recommending appropriate management strategies. Two hundred respondents were purposively selected from the study area with structured questionnaire. Results revealed that 90.2% of the respondents has preference for trees and 85.4% will be willing to participate in a project to plant trees. More than 50% of the respondents would like to contribute 1-2 hours per week to the project while 31.7% would like to contribute #500-1000 annually for tree planting and maintenance. Most of the respondents love to live and work in a green environment and would like to pay extra cost to rent property located in it. Most of the respondents planted trees around their houses for purpose of providing fruits, nuts and vegetable. 50% indicated that it is for the purpose of making their environment to be more beautiful, attractive and for the provision of medicinal plants. There are no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) of opinions in the respondents’ education, age, family size and type of employer and participation in urban forestry project. There should be frequent inventory and survey of trees to note the distribution and density as well as structural and physical changes necessary for management practices. Also a survey of tree preference when planning for a tree planting programme should be carried out. © JASE

Socio Economic Assessment of Urban Forestry Respondents’ income in Okiti Pupa, Ondo State, Nigeria

The paper investigates the socio economic assessment of urban forestry respondents’ income in Okitipupa, Nigeria. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and these were administered to 200 urban forestry respondents. Data were collected on socioeconomic characteristics viz: age, gender, marital status, educational status, credit access and other household variables. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression models. Results revealed that the average age of the respondent was estimated to be 47 years. Majority of respondents (56.40%) falls within the ages of 31-40, while those whose ages were above 60years were 06.98%. Multiple Regression Model revealed that age, education, experience, gender and farm size have significant relationship (p<0.01) with income of respondents. Higher income would significantly lead to larger amount of donation for urban forestry programme. In order to encourage the respondents, the government should create enabling environment and publicized the importance of forest in urban settlement. Education should be made available to the urban dwellers at the grass root level. ©JASEMKeywords: Income, urban forest, education, ag

Drought Impact Assessment on Vegetation over Sudano-Sahelian Part of Nigeria

This study evaluated the vegetation response to drought over the Sudano-Sahelian part of Nigeria. Landsat and monthly rainfall data with boundary map shapefile data. The results of SPI analysis revealed that the drought saga of the 70s and 80s was also experienced over the study area but later reversed in the 90s towards the 21st century as the result show a rapid decline in its occurrence which indicates improvement in rainfall. On the other hand, the vegetation response analysis also depicted that the year 1986 was a dry year over the study area as the spatial extent cover by the vegetation was much less compared to the bare-surface. But in the 1990s, greenness has returned to the areas that were previously bare soil, an indication of improvement in rainfall amount over the area. The study therefore concluded that there exists a kind of inverse relationship between drought intensity and vegetation growth and time lag in their response to dry or wet condition. Keywords: Drought Occurrence, Vegetation response, Standardize Precipitation Index (SPI), Normalized Precipitation Index (NDVI), Greenness Index (GI), Drought Spatial Ma

Effects of Increasing Aqueous Root Extract of Moringa oleifera on Sperm Production of Albino Rats.

The phytochemical effects of aqueous extract of root on sperm production of White albino rats were investigated. The rats were divided into five treatment dose levels; 0 (5.0 ml saline); 5.0; 10.0; 15.0 and 20.0 mls consisting five (5) animals per treatment and administered orally for 10 days using aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera roots. The extract tested positive to alkaloid, flavonoids, saponin and cyanogenic glycosides as the active ingredient and showed negative to tannin and oxalates. The results also showed increased (p<0.05) mass activity, progressive motility, sperm concentration and semen output in the treated rats. The histological examination revealed no lesion on the testis. The findings of this study indicated that the active ingredient from Moringa oleifera could significantly increase sperm production.Keywords: active ingredient, aqueous root extract, Moringa oleifera, phytochemical, semen outpu

Medicinal Utilization of Roots of Forest Plants in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria

This paper evaluates some of the valuable medicinal forest plant roots commonly used by various ethnic groups in Kaduna State, Nigeria. A set of sixty (60) structured questionnaire was purposively administered to traditional healers, herbs traders, civil servants, and other herb users in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results showed that age, sex, marital status, educational status and occupation of respondents have no significant relationship (p>0.05) with the uses of herbs. It also showed that there are a total of thirty seven (37) families of forest plant roots comprising of 60 different plants identified in the survey for treating various diseases or symptoms. These plants include Vitex doniana (Dinya), Anona senegalensis (Gwandan dabi), Khaya senegalinsis (Madaci). Opilia celtidifolia (Rufan gada), Moringa olifera (Zogale), Mangifera indica (Mangoro), Pisidium guijava (Gwaiba) Zimenia Americana (Tsada) Pakia biglobosa (Dorawa). Some of the uses cannot be proven scientifically. Efforts should be made to develop herbal medication to serve as an alternative to orthodox medication

Assessment of Vegetation Structural Diversity and Similarity Index of IITA Forest Reserve in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

The analysis of vegetation structural diversity and similarity index of International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) forest reserve was carried out by vegetation survey using transects and plot sampling techniques. Forty plots of 10m by 10m each were laid equally along four transect (A, B, C, at 900E and D at 00N). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, relative density, diversity and similarity indices. The result showed that the forest reserve has one hundred and ninety species of plants belonging to sixty three families. The dominant plant families recorded in the forest are Leguminosae (12.63%), Rubiaceae (8.42%), Euphorbiaceae (7.89%), Apocynaceae (5.26%) and Sterculiaceae (3.68%). The most abundant plant species in the forest are mostly secondary colonizers climbers, shrubs and trees such as Culcasia saxatilis (4.46%), Icacina trichantha (4.10%), Shrub: Alchornea laxiflora (3.86%), Sphenocentrum jollyanum (3.50%), followed by tree: Newbouldia laevis (3.23%), and Funtumia elastica (2.63%) respectively. Transect D had the highest Simpson's diversity index of 0.01184 while the lowest is with C 0.02091. The Simpson similarities indices (Beta diversity) of transects varied from 50.75% to 42.76% for transects B and C, A and C, and C and D respectively. The forest reserve of IITA shows a high diversity (alpha, gamma and beta diversity) of plants and have multiplicity of species, therefore, adequate protection of the reserve should be a priority to maintain and prevent loss of plant biodiversity.Keywords: Vegetation, structural diversity, IITA forest reserve, plant biodiversity, Simpson's diversity inde

Profitability of Clerodendrum volubile (eweta) , a non-timber forest product, in Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria

The study assessed the profitability of Clerodendrum volubile (eweta), a Non-Timber Forest product, in Okitipupa, Ondo State Nigeria. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used in the selection of markets and respondents. The sample size was 60 and instrument of data collection was structured and pre-tested questionnaires. The result showed that the enterprise is profitable with a marketing margin of N57, 412 and net returns of N45,604. The benefit cost ratio was 1.74:1. It is recommended that intensive propaganda and awareness should be mounted by the agricultural extension agent on the control of the market so as to attract more farmers on the eweta cultivation and marketing.Keywords: Non-wood forest product, vegetable, profitabilit

Drought Impact Assessment on Vegetation over Sudano-Sahelian Part of Nigeria

This study evaluated the vegetation response to drought over the Sudano-Sahelian part of Nigeria. Landsat and monthly rainfall data with boundary map shapefile data. The results of SPI analysis revealed that the drought saga of the 70s and 80s was also experienced over the study area but later reversed in the 90s towards the 21st century as the result show a rapid decline in its occurrence which indicates improvement in rainfall. On the other hand, the vegetation response analysis also depicted that the year 1986 was a dry year over the study area as the spatial extent cover by the vegetation was much less compared to the bare-surface. But in the 1990s, greenness has returned to the areas that were previously bare soil, an indication of improvement in rainfall amount over the area. The study therefore concluded that there exists a kind of inverse relationship between drought intensity and vegetation growth and time lag in their response to dry or wet condition. Keywords: Drought Occurrence, Vegetation response, Standardize Precipitation Index (SPI), Normalized Precipitation Index (NDVI), Greenness Index (GI), Drought Spatial Ma

Institutional Arrangement to Forestry Development in the South-Western Nigeria

This paper examines the institutional arrangement and their impacts on forestry development in South-western Nigeria. Primary data were collected from all the forest officers in charge of the 31 forestry administrative zones in the six states in the Nigerian south west, namely: Ekiti (four); Lagos (five); Ogun (four); Ondo (eight); Osun (six) and Oyo (four).One forest officer from each of the six state headquarters were interviewed using structured questionnaires. The data were analysed using Descriptive statistics and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (D). Results revealed that the institutional arrangement investigated in the Nigerian South-west have significant relationship (P< 0.01) with forestry development. These include regular staff training, planning unit, log control and finance. Although the state forestry service in South-western Nigeria had good institutional arrangement on ground, their execution was slow and haphazard due to inadequate funding and manpower availability and training.Key words: Institutional Arrangement, Log control, Planning unit, funding, forest servic