NIGERIAN JOURNAL OF FORESTRY

Forestsare exploited for livelihood sustenance by rural dwellers. However,mode of exploitation and management of a forest, to a large extent, will determine its health and sustainability. This study therefore assessed rural dwellers' forest management practices in Ijebu-North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used to randomly select a sample of 119 rural dwellers from nine communities (Bogije (141), Odobotu (210), Tiluba (143), Togunberu (97), Asigidi (222), Ogunmoro (103), Lagan (73), Oke arewa (134) and Aredi (81). Interview schedule was used to collect data on respondents' socio-economic characteristics, forest related livelihood activities, forest exploitation and management practices and perceived constraints to sustainable forest management practices. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentages and mean) and inferential statistics (Chi square). The majority of the respondents were ≤ 50 years (70.6%) old, 73.9% were male, 68.9% were married and79.8% did not have more than primary school education. The highest monthly average income earned by the respondents was N30,000 (54.6%). Their major occupations were fuel-wood collection (84.9%), crop farming (73.9%) and collection of herbs (68.9%). All the respondents did not plant new seedlings after trees harvesting. Also, the majority cut trees without recourse to their maturity (66.4%), not sparing young animals/snails during hunting (87.4%) and were involved in bush burning (79.0%). Perceived constraints to sustainable forest management practices in the study area included the need for survival ( ) and lack of information on forest management practices It is recommended that extension agencies of Agricultural development Programme (ADP) and Forestry Departments should include forest management information in their agenda for rural dwellers in general and farmers in particular. Rural dwellers should also be encouraged to form forest management committees.