Factors determining farmers’ adoption of cultural practices for forest resources conservation in Delta State, Nigeria

Studies on conservation of forest resources abound but the application of cultural practices is being neglected. The use of the logit regression model in identifying the factors that influenced the adoption of these cultural practices was a milestone in this work. The goal of the study was to identify existing cultural practices of conservation and factors that influenced its adoption. Key informants for the study were obtained using multi-stage selection techniques. Information on cultural practices, forest resources conserved by these practices and groups within the community responsible for implementing these practices were obtained using a structured questionnaire and interview schedule. Descriptive statistics and a logistic regression model were used. The study bared that males (70.4%) dominated. The practice of sacred grooves, forbidden forest resources, festive harvesting, ancestral beliefs and restriction from felling trees of ancestral origin was used in conserving snakes, crocodiles, Millicia excelsa, Achatina achatina, Tyto alba, Neuboudia laevis, Irvingia wombulu in the communities. The factors influencing the adoption of these practices were education, age of the respondent, native of the community and religion. The traditional head, traditional executives, chief priest and sometimes, the whole community enforced and implemented these beliefs and proscribed penalties for defaulters. Cultural practices that support the wise use of resources from the forest are still in existence and effective. The collaboration of the State Forestry division with these communities in harnessing their cultural practices is vital to the quest of conserving these diverse species in the forest.