Effects of Indiscriminate Logging of Indigenous Tree and Tree Sustainability in Ifedore Local Government Area, Ondo State

This study investigated the effects of indiscriminate logging of indigenous trees and tree sustainability in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo state. Purposive sampling technique was used to select five communities from Ifedore local government. Data were collected through administration of semi-structured questionnaire and interview on one hundred (100) community residents and ten (10) forest officials in the study area. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ranked using percentage mention. Majority (58.0%) of the community resident are male while the highest percentage (50.0%) of the residents are between age 41 and 50 years. Majority (70.0%) are married, and there is high level of awareness of indiscriminate logging, as 50.0% of the community residents reported very frequent occurrence of indiscriminate logging. Poverty ranked 1st among causes of indiscriminate logging by community residents. Timber contractors dominated (70.0%) the categories of people involved in indiscriminate logging. While, limited resources ranked 1st (80.0%) among the challenges faced by forest officials in preventing indiscriminate logging. Climate change ranked 1st (95.0%) among the impacts of indiscriminate logging on the sustainability of indigenous tree species. Provision of employment ranked (98.0%), and and creation of awareness on sustainable forest management (100.0%) ranked 1st respectively by community residents and forest officials as ways of mitigating indiscriminate logging activities. Consequently, it was suggested that urgent efforts should be directed at raising more effective awareness on the adverse effects of indiscriminate logging activities and also the need for sustainable management of the forest.