Economic Benefits of Conservation of Free Areas in Apomu, Isokan Local Government Area, Osun State, Nigeria

Background and Objective: Free areas are areas that are not demarcated and classified by the government. They are a vital source of income for rural households as they are home to native and exotic tree species. Hence, this study focused on the socio-economic benefits of the conservation of free areas in Apomu, Isokan Local Government Area, Osun State to encourage sustainable forest management. Materials and Methods: The 69 villages were purposively selected for this study. The reason for this selection was that these villages host significant free areas where active forestry-related activities were carried out. A total of 69 questionnaires were used for the study. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and logistic regression with a significant coefficient of 0.05. Results: The common tree species present in free areas include; Albiziaspp.,Milicia excelsa, Khaya senegalensis, Ceiba pentandra, Tectona grandis, Gmelina arborea, Terminalia ivorensis.Conservation activities carried out in the area include; afforestation (100%), arrest of illegal loggers (100%), tree inspection (100%), and hammering (100%). Major socio-economic benefits of conservation include: continuous wood supply (100%), prevention of exploitation of under-aged trees (100%), increase in income generation (100%), and increase in the income of rural families (100%). Illegal grazing, poor road network, and insufficient manpower are the main constraints faced in the free zones with odds-ratio of 98.77, 45.79, and 44.57, respectively. Conclusion: Good road networks should be established for effective patrolling and protection of the free areas.