Resumen
Purpose: This study was carried out to evaluate the environmental and socio-economic effects of timber harvesting as well as to identify the drivers increasing the rate of timber exploitation in Imo River Estuary, Eastern Obolo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria.Methodology: It was conducted in five Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. A random sampling technique was employed to select a total of 300 respondents composed of 60 randomly selected respondents from each of the five LGAs. A structured questionnaire was used in collecting information from the respondents. Data acquired from the field was subjected to statistical and econometric analysis which included percentages, frequencies, Likert scale rating, exploratory factor analysis, and Chi-square,Main Findings: The major finding of this study was that the major cause of timber exploitation in the study area was unemployment, absence of forest regulations, unstable government policies, lack of trained officials, and high cost of timber products. The application of the Factor Analysis Model in this study showed that loss of biodiversity, the disappearance of forest cover, damaging of immature trees and non-wood forest products are the highest environmental effects of timber exploitation in the study area, loading far higher than the stated 0.3 decision score value. Among the social effects, high cost of farm labor is the most severe of social effects in the study area, while the increased cost of wood and forest product and high cost of living ranked highest among the economic effects.Applications: The study will be of great importance to environmental policy makers, conservationists, researchers, and Geographers in Nigeria. It will contribute significantly to knowledge build-up in relation to restoring the sanctity of threatened forests in Southern Nigeria.Novelty/Originality: The Niger Delta region of Nigeria where this study was carried out is often synonymous with militancy and the problems of environmental pollution. However, this study veers from these already known challenges to peculiar drivers of the depleting forests in this area. The study, therefore, will contribute to the scanty literature related to the subject matter within the study area.