DETERMINANTS OF FORMAL OR INFORMAL ACCESS TO FOREST RESOURCES AND MONETARY VALUE OF ACCESS IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF FOREST RESERVE COMMUNITIES IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA.

One argument against forest reservation is that people want forest reserve resources and would not deliberately destroy it. In contrast, the basic assumption underlying forest reservation in Nigeria is that local communities cannot conserve and manage forests sustainably. How well this strategy has advanced the realization of the goals of reservation is not clear. This study adopted logit and multiple regression analyses and concluded that the average earning status and wealth status of households have significant effects on the probability of households having a formal access to forest reserves. Moreover, poor households are most likely prone to protesting the current conservation and management strategy by resisting forest reserve laws.