Abstract
Climate change and its devastating effects to human existence and environmental biodiversity
have for some time now being a major challenge all round the globe. The study focuses on the
perception of timber Sawyers and charcoal makers in north Central Zone of Nigeria, on the
factors responsible for deforestation and their effects on climate change. A descriptive survey
design was adopted for the study while three research questions were posed to guide the study.
A 37-item structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The instrument was validated
by three experts and had a reliability coefficient of 0.89 using Cronbach Alpha. The research
questions were answered using the mean and standard deviation. The results revealed that
logging for timber production, production of charcoal and firewood for cooking, bush burning
and bush clearing for farming activities are the greatest factors for deforestation. Air
pollution, excessive gully erosion, desertification, excessive floods, depletion of the ozone layer
and global warming were found to be the effects of deforestation activities. Timber sawyers
and charcoal makers agreed that advocacy on the dangers of deforestation activities on
climate change, the use of alternative safe sources of clean energy, aforestation and climate
adaptation programmes are some solutions for deforestation and climate change. The study
recommended that reforestation programme be revitalized, households be encouraged to
switch to renewable source of energy for their cooking, trees should be planted in both
residential and industrial areas to absorb polluted gases, NYSC participants to plant one tree
each as part of their graduation activities and stiffer penalties for bush burning and illegal
logging activities.
Keywords: Deforestation, Timber Sawyers, Global Warming, Climate Change, Charcoal
Makers.
Publication Date: 2016-06-06