Abstract

Okomu Plateau Forest consists of a central plateau and a surround crisscrossed by rivers/streams and creeks. The enclave is currently fragmented and turned into vestiges of secondary regrowth forest. This paper evaluates the state, anthropogenic threats and ecological significance of the heterogeneous ecosystems. Using the snowball sampling technique, information was obtained from primary participants – Government personnel and Oil Palm Company staff through key informants and focus group interviews. Recommendations obtained from primary participants were used to access/elicit information from secondary participants (retired staff; timber concessionaires and residents of 12enclave/fringing communities in the three thematic areas. Data were subjected to descriptive analysis. The outcome of socio-demographic survey revealed overall 243, mostly male adult respondents (77%) of average age 49years. The results on respondents’ views on the thematic areas investigated aptly revealed that: (a) both size and integrity of the forest had waned greatly signifying erosion of species and loss of fragile ecosystems; the concomitant decline in wildlife and aquatic biodiversity has negatively impacted livelihood systems and wellbeing of communities; (b) de-reserved of productive portions of the forest to other land uses; illegal logging/farming, and pollution of water/aquatic biodiversity by perilous effluents constitute serious drawback to ecosystem sustainability; and (c) the Okomu - Gilli Gilli - Ekewan - Ogba - Ologbo forest corridor constitutes important migratory route/refuge for wildlife, cultural repertoire for communities, and biodiversity repository for species and ecosystems. The semblance of intact/contiguous forest in the enclave currently resides in Okomu National Park and Okomu Oil Palm Company conservation areas. It is imperative that government ministries, departments and agencies shouldered with the responsibility of managing Okomu forests should entrench people- and eco-friendly policies/legislation that underscore good forest governance. Consequently, all agro-allied industries should engender the ‘polluter pays principle’ and livelihood enhancement programmes in their corporate responsibility agenda for host communities.

Keywords

biodiversity, de-reservation, encroachment, community livelihoods, perilous effluents, wildlife corridor