Fuelwood Extraction Effect on Vegetation Landscapes in South West Nigeria

Abstract

With population on the rise, efficient management of vegetation landscapes in developing countries has become increasingly challenging, owing to fuelwood usage as an affordable source of fuel for daily use. Proper understanding of fuelwood exploitation effect on varying vegetation landscapes for the purpose of effective management in Southern Nigeria, is limited. This study, therefore, examines the effect of fuelwood extraction on forest and savanna landscapes in Oyo State, South Western Nigeria. Vegetation measurements were taken from twelve (20m by 20m) quadrats respectively within the forest and savanna exploited sites and their associated control sites, totaling 48 quadrats. These quadrats were randomly selected along a 400m transect. The findings of the study reveal that mean dendrometric values were generally lower in exploited sites. The mean values for the exploited/control savanna and the exploited/control forests respectively include: Girth (cm): 25.3/48.5 and 53.0/128.8, Height (m): 4.84/6.02 and 10.04/20.74, Basal Area (msq) -0.05/0.28 and 0.32/2.32, Tree density (m/Ha): 6.08/13.25 and 11.66/12.33, Tree Diversity –0.79/0.863 and 0.85/ 0.97. Funtumia elastica, Triplochiton scleroxylon, Albizia zygia and Vitellaria paradoxa, Anogeissus leiocarpus and Azadiracta indica were dominant in the forest and savanna plots respectively. Student ‘t’ test analysis result showed significant variation in mean dendrometric parameters and diversity values at p<0.05. Provision of affordable environmentally friendly energy
alternatives for the local people is being recommended.