Assessment of Forest Ecosystem Services and Community Livelihoods in the Shasha Forest Reserve, Ogun State

Shasha Forest Reserve in Ogun State, South West Nigeria, provides ecosystem services that underpin the livelihoods of surrounding communities, yet these services have not been professionally assessed or economically valued, limiting their integration into forest management decisions. This study assessed the provisioning, regulating, and cultural ecosystem services of Shasha Forest Reserve and quantified their contribution to the livelihoods of five adjacent communities. A mixed professional methodology was employed, combining vegetation structural surveys, key informant interviews with 120 community members, focus group discussions, and non-market valuation techniques including benefit transfer and willingness to accept methods. Ecosystem services documented included timber, non-timber forest products (bushmeat, rattan, medicinal plants), water regulation, carbon sequestration, and cultural values. The estimated annual total economic value of non-timber forest products harvested by communities was 147 million Naira. Medicinal plant collection constituted 34% of non-timber forest product extraction by value. Water provisioning from the forest was valued at approximately 89 million Naira per year to adjacent communities based on the cost of alternative water supply. Carbon sequestration potential was estimated at 4,380 tonnes CO2 equivalent per year based on vegetation biomass assessments. Forty-three percent of community members reported that forest resource access was declining due to increased restriction. The study recommends a participatory forest benefit-sharing mechanism for Shasha Reserve that formally recognises community livelihood dependence in the Ogun State Forestry Commission management plan.

Keywords: ecosystem services, forest reserve, livelihoods, Shasha, Ogun State