ABSTRACT:

The paper analysed conservation of Forest and Tree Products (FTPs) primary resource base by rural households and its implication for poverty reduction in Delta State. Multistage sampling techniques was used to select 360 respondents used for the study. Data was collected with the aid of structured questionnaire and analysed with descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Findings revealed that only 27.8% planted trees in the last 12 months only 33.3% planted trees in the last 2 years. Rural households indicated that they planted trees mianly in home gardens or farmstead. The main reason for planting trees was for consumption (55.4%), to secure the land and for commercialisation of the FTPs. Measures used to conserve and sustain FTPs resource base that have reasonable ratings include spirit- linked prohibitions (53.8%), protective mechanisms (41.2%), National laws concerning conservation (38.8%) and weeding around FTPs resource base (37.6). Regression analysis showed that the coefficients and t-values (values in parenthesis) of educational qualification of household head 0.537 (2.858); access to technology 2.596 (2.694) access to credit 5.514 (4.811); total household size 2.166 (3.776); amount of FTP resources owned 2.83 (4.34) were all positively signed and significant at 5% level of confidence. Recommendations include use of serious campaign by various stakeholders on conservation and management of the primary resource base of the FTPs, adoption of participatory approach to conservation and management of FTPs resource base and checking illegal farming within the protected area by the rural communities.