Impact of Oil Drilling Operations on Forest Resources in Obagi, Niger Delta Nigeria

摘要

The issue of oil drilling operation and its impact on forest resources in Obagi and other oil producing communities has over time been a challenge facing oil producing areas. This studyefore is necessitated to identify and evaluate the Changes that have taken place overtime on forest resources arising from oil drilling operation. It was to examine and establishes if the damage of ecosystem and loss of bio-resources is as a result of drilling operation in the area. A total of 135 persons were interviewed as sample population for the study. The result of findings of the study showed that oil drilling operation has no significant impact on ecosystem damage, ecosystem disruption, specie extinction and decline rather that to a significant extent that there are other factor which plays in the damage of ecosystem and loss of forest resources in the area, amongst them as found by the study are the introduction of exotic species, intensive farming, deforestation for construction purposes all these as found by the research in one way or the other affects the balance in the ecosystem.