Fuel Wood Consumption in Selected Communities in Oshimili North Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

For proper management of a forest, it is best to harmonise demand and availability of fuel wood. With this, the study estimate the wood consumed as fuel and the factors that influence wood consumed as fuel in selected communities. Four communities were purposively chosen based on fuel wood usage: Ugbolu, Ngegu, Ani-Ngene and Aniwalo. Ninety five questionnaires were randomly administered to harvesters of wood for fuel to obtain information on socio-economic characteristics, amount of fuel wood consumed and species of tree mostly harvested for fuel wood. The results showed that the respondents are mostly male (54.7%) and are within the age-bracket of 42-51 years, with household size of 6-10 persons. The average fuel wood consumed by each household is 0.016-0.081m3 weekly in dry season and 0.012-0.057m3 weekly in rainy season. The total amount of wood consumed as fuel is 13,433.7m3 annually. Tectona grandis, Gmelina arborea Roxb (Gmelina) and Morinda lucida Benth are the species of trees predominantly used for fuel wood. The multiple regression analysis shows that socio-economic characteristics have no influence on wood consumption as fuel.