FOREST DEPENDENCE AND WILLINGNESS-TO-PAY FOR SELECTED FOREST SERVICE ATTRIBUTES IN FRINGE COMMUNITIES OF FOREST RESERVES IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA

Abstract

A clear understanding of forest households’ preferences as it relates to forest resources, valuation of associated benefits and trade-offs they are willing to make among the competing services provided by the forest are crucial in promoting sustainable forest conservation. Hence, this study assessed forest dependence and willingness-to-pay for selected forest service attributes in fringe communities of forest reserves in Southwest, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in obtaining primary data from 294 forest households in the study area. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food security module, Tobit regression, ordered logit regression and mixed logit regression models. Results showed that the household size was seven and the mean age was 47 years. Supply of firewood (85.6%), supply of medicinal plants (79.7%), provision of cool breeze (79.2%) and support for farming (74.2%) were the most important forest benefits. Farming was the most prevalent occupation in the forest communities. The major agricultural commodities produced in the forest communities were cassava, maize and plantain with returns on investment that is 3.13, 2.36 and 2.40 respectively for every one naira invested in the production of the crops. Tobit regression result shows that years spent in forest community, dependency ratio, gender (males), and farm size significantly increase dependence on forest for livelihood. USDA food security module revealed that 17.4% of the forest households sampled are food secured while 82.7% were food insecured. The ordered logit model revealed that household income, gender (male), agroforestry farming, firewood supply and flowing water from forest increase the likelihood of being marginally and highly food secured. The mixed logit model revealed that all the attributes except biodiversity reserve area significantly influence preference for afforestation and reforestation scheme. Positive preference was shown for access to farming while negative preference was shown for decreasing timber harvesting level, intervention management, access for recreation and cost. An average respondents in this study was willing to pay N4,756 for the forest service attributes. The attribute (access to farming) has the highest marginal WTP value of N4,018.03. The study concluded that forest reserves contribute positively to livelihood support in forest communities. Among other recommendations, the study recommended that livelihood support for forest households such as farming should be taken into consideration in planning afforestation and forest rehabilitation schemes to achieve sustainable forest conservation in Nigeria.