RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SUSTAINABLE FOREST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN RURAL COMMUNITIES OF BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and sustainable forest resource management (SFRM) in rural communities in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Four objectives, research questions, and hypotheses guided the study.  A correlational research design was adopted.  The population comprised 58,238 residents across rural communities in the eight Local Government Areas of the state, from which a sample of 400 respondents was selected using a purposive sampling technique.  Four communities: Amassoma, Nembe Town, Twon-Brass, and Ogobiri were included in the study. Data were collected using the Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Sustainable Forest Resource Management Questionnaire (TEKSFRMQ), which consisted of two sections: The Traditional Ecological Knowledge Questionnaire (TEQ) and the Sustainable Forest Resource Management Questionnaire (SFRMQ). The instrument was validated and tested for reliability using Cronbach’s Alpha ,yielding co-efficients of 0.86 for TEQ and 0.82 for SFRMQ.  Research questions were answered and hypothesis tested using Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed among others, that the spatial distribution of knowledge has a strong positive and significant relationship with sustainable forest resource management in rural communities. Similarly, land use practices were found to have a strong positive and significant relationship with sustainable forest resource management. The study concluded that traditional Ecological Knowledge plays a significant role in supporting sustainable forest resource management in rural communities. It was recommended that local government authorities should promote and  support initiative aimed at documenting and disseminating TEK to enhance its accessibility while agricultural and forestry extension services should facilitate training programmes that integrate indigenous land use practices with modern sustainable techniques.