Assessment of Human Settlement in Toungo Sector of Gashaka Gumti National Park- Nigeria
The study examined human settlements in protected areas in Toungo Sector of Gashaka Gumti National Park, Adamawa state. Six communities were selected for the study. Structured questionnaires were administered among the respondents to elicit information on the identified human settlements Data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics (in form of frequency Tables and percentages). The results obtained indicates that majority of the respondents were males (63.64%) that are married (81.80%), falls within the age group of 21 to 30years(57.14%). Most of the respondents were settled in the park (50%) for the purpose of farming, grazing, collection of non-timber forest products and attributed participating in one threat or the other (90.91%). Collection of non-timber forest products (41.18%) is the major anthropogenic activity by the respondents in the study area. Lack of farming land (42.86%) constituted the major reason for settling in the study area by the respondents. Awareness campaign in favour of protected area conservation, followed by enacting stiff penalty on defaulters of indiscriminate felling of trees, poaching and grazing should be encouraged in the study area.
