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Abstract
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Article Information:
Mangrove Forest Depletion, Biodiversity Loss and Traditional Resources Management Practices in the Niger Delta, Nigeria
Prince C. Mmom and Samuel B. Arokoyu
Corresponding Author: Mmom Prince Chinedu
Submitted: 2009 September, 07
Accepted: 2009 October, 03
Published: 2010 January, 05 |
Abstract:
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The mangrove forest of the Niger Delta is of high economic value to the local people as well as
National Development generally. The mangrove forest is rich in both aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity as such
a major source of rural life sustenance in the region as well as plays a vital role in ecosystems stabilization.
However, unfortunately, the Mangrove forest in recent times has been subjected to the effects of a growing
population, economic and social pressures manifested in the form of rapid urbanization, agricultural land
expansion and industrialization. Thus, there is a steady deforestation of the mangrove forest and loss of
biodiversity in the region. The mangrove forest is not under any known form of protection and or laws and
strategies of biological resource conservation in Nigeria. And even in areas where they seem to exist, they have
alienated the knowledge systems and practices of the local people. This paper therefore aims at examining the
rate of exploitation of these mangrove resources and the traditional resource management practices of the
people, as a strategy for mangrove forest resource conservation in the N iger Delta, Nigeria.Thus, using a simple
random sampling technique (use of table of random digits), ten (10) communities from two states of the Niger
Delta (Delta & Rivers States) were selected as samples for the study. Also, using mainly primary data generated
on the field through the use of structured questionnaire and analysed in percentages, the authors found out as
follows: That rural livelihood the area depends on the exploitation of the mangrove resources as such there is
over exploitation and rapid loss of these resources; that the mangrove forest is not in any known form of
protection; that the local people have an efficient way of protecting and conserving their resources which could
be exploited to enhance mangrove resource conservation in the region. Thus, the paper recommends that policy
makers and planners should enlighten the local people on the dangers of over exploitation and encourage them
to strengthen these traditional resource management practices.
Key words: Traditional resource Management, biological resources, biodiversity, mangrove forest, conservation, deforestation, Niger Delta
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Cite this Reference:
Prince C. Mmom and Samuel B. Arokoyu, . Mangrove Forest Depletion, Biodiversity Loss and Traditional Resources Management Practices in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology, (1): Page No: 28-34.
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ISSN (Online): 2040-7467
ISSN (Print): 2040-7459 |
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