Intl. J. of Mol. Ecol. and Conserv. 2012, Vol. 2, No. 5, 26-31
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Ibode-Olude, Ilugun-Titun and Mawuko. The
instrument of data collected was through the
administration of questionnaire and personal interview.
The respondents cut across civil servants, forest users
and knowledgeable members of the society.
Questionnaire information addressed socio-demo-
graphic characteristics of the respondents such as age,
gender, marital status, educational background, family
size, etc. Technical questions deal with multiple
benefits derived from the reserve. The study was
carried out between May and August, 2012.
3
Data analysis
Statistical and analytical methods were employed in
the analysis of the data collected. The methods include
the use of descriptive statistical-tools such as
frequency distributions, mean and percentages.
Perception of the respondents on resource utilization
was measured through Likert rating on the
contribution of peri-urban forest to livelihoods.
The Likert scale was a rating of 1~5, where
1
Strongly disagree
2
Disagree
3
Agree
4
Slightly agree
5
Strongly agree
3.1
Multiple benefits
The rating of various benefits derived from the reserve
was also determined. Mantel (1965) table of multiple
benefits was used as presented below (Table 1).
4
Results and Discussion
Table 2 shows the socio-demographic characteristics
of resource users of Arakanga forest reserve in Ogun
State, Nigeria.
The table shows that the respondents were mostly
females with 53% and 47% for males. On age
distribution, 42% of the respondents were between the
ages of 41 to 50 years of age, followed by 38% who
falls between the range of 31 to 40 years of age, then
16%
of the respondents were between ages 21 to 30
years, while 3% of the respondents were between ages
51
to 60 and 1% were between 61 to 70%.
The table also shows that majority of the respondents
Table 1 Multiple benefits (Mantel, 1965)
Grades
Size class
Benefit
1
Insignificant
?
A,B,C,D,E,F
2
Significant
?
A,B,C,D,E,F
3
More significant
?
A,B,C,D,E,F
4
Important
?
A,B,C,D,E,F
5
Very important
?
A,B,C,D,E,F
6
Indispensable
?
A,B,C,D,E,F
Note: A: Firewood; B: Snail; C: Medicinal plants; D: Leaves
collection; E: Hunting; F: Geological material (sand, stone, gravel)
Table 2 Demographic characteristic of respondents
Variables
Frequency
Percentage
Gender
Male
47
47
Female
53
53
Total
100
100
Ages (years)
21
~30
16
16
31
~40
38
38
41
~50
42
42
51
~60
3
3
61
~70
1
1
Total
100
100
Marital Status
Single
12
12
Married
86
86
Divorced
0
0
Widow(er)
2
2
Total
100
100
Household size
1
~2
13
13
3
~4
38
38
5
~6
44
44
7
~8
5
5
Total
100
100
Educational level of respondents
Primary
25
25
Secondary
16
16
Tertiary
7
7
No formal education
52
52
Total
100
100
Tribe
Yoruba
90
90
Igbo
9
9
Hausa
1
1
Total
100
100
were married with 86%, while 12% were single and
2%
widower.