Determinants and Consequences of Commercial Exploitation of Madrid Wood (Pterocarpus Erinaceus) in Taraba State, Nigeria

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue III, March 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

 Determinants and Consequences of Commercial Exploitation of Madrid Wood (Pterocarpus Erinaceus) in Taraba State, Nigeria

John, Wajim
Department of Sociology, Federal University, Wukari, 200 Katsina-Ala Road, P.M.B 1020 Wukari, Nigeria

Abstract: – This study examined the determinants and consequences of commercial exploitation of Madrid Wood (pterocarpus erinaceus) in Taraba State, Nigeria. Noncompliance with forest-related laws and the poor governance of the forest resource of Nigeria as a nation state contributed tremendously to the unrestrained commercial exploitation of Madrid Wood in Taraba State. A cross sectional survey research was conducted to generate the research data used to answer the research questions as well as to test the hypotheses. Both qualitative and quantitative research approaches were combined in this study. Samples of five hundred and forty-four (544) questionnaires were administered by trained research assistants but five hundred and seventeen (517) were duly completed and returned. The data from the returned questionnaire were analyzed with the help of Statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS). Qualitative data were generated by in-depth interview (IDI) with the LGA Chairman, the Forestry Director, and eight Madrid Wood Merchants. Chi-Square was used to test the hypotheses; the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significant and 99% confidence interval. The findings of the study show that the commercial exploitation of the Madrid Wood both serves as sources of revenue to the government and income to the residents in the study area; the commercial exploitation of the Madrid Wood also contributes to the extinction of the specie, climate change among others. Thus, amongst other recommendations, the study recommended that the government of Taraba State should empower the ministries and departments responsible for regulating forest laws and policies to control the unrestrained commercial exploitation of the Madrid Wood. That would include the prosecution of corrupt government officials that aid and abet the merchants who break forestry laws. The study further recommends extensive public awareness campaign by the government through various media platforms that would educate the public on the dire consequences of deforestation to people and society at large.

Keywords: Madrid Wood, Pterocarpus erinaceus, exploitation, determinants, consequences

I. INTRODUCTION

In the majority of countries with large forest areas and high levels of deforestation and degradation, illegal activities – both conversions of forests for agricultural purposes, and forest degradation, particularly that is caused by illegal logging have been the most significant drivers of deforestation (World Bank, 2008).

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