Communities around the Apoi Creek Forest Reserve (now National Park) in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State are questioning a conservation approach they say has restricted access to traditional sources of food and income while leaving them exposed to the effects of oil pollution and biodiversity loss.
On April 30, 2008, the Apoi Creek Forests in Bayelsa State was formally entered into the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, designated as Site #1751, covering over 29,213 hectares. The forest, with its rich biodiversity, is home to the critically endangered Niger Delta red colobus monkey.
Apoi, Gbanraun and Kokolo Ama, the three communities that own the reserve, say the forest has historically sustained their livelihoods through fishing, farming, hunting and the gathering of snails, ogbono (Irvingia gabonensis) and other forest products. They are concerned that protecting the ecosystem without addressing their livelihood needs risks deepening hunger and economic hardship.
These concerns emerged during a two-day engagement organised by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment. The first day featured a community dialogue, while the second focused on training women from the communities on environmental and livelihood issues.
The engagement is part of the project Accelerating Nature and Climate Action to Advance Nigeria’s Net Zero and “30×30” Targets, supported by UNDP and funded by the Global Environment Facility. The initiative seeks to advance ecosystem conservation and restoration, clean-energy investments and nature-positive development.
Conservation and the loss of livelihoods
Community members alleged that an organisation known as the South West Niger Delta Forest Project manages the reserve and deploys forest rangers to patrol the area, preventing residents from accessing parts of the forest they traditionally use for fishing, hunting and gathering food. HOMEF team also encountered access restrictions when it sought to visit the reserve and was told by the forest rangers managing the area under the South West Niger Delta Forest Project that access would cost ₦500,000.
The restrictions, community members said, have compounded the effects of environmental degradation, reducing access to resources essential for household food security and income. High Chief Jacob Kurobo, the incoming Ebenanawei of Apoi Kingdom, described the forest as a source of readily available food for generations of residents.
“That forest is the centre of everything. You don’t go and find snails, fish, etc. You just go there, you pack them and come back. But because of the reserve, our people have been barred from that environment,” he said.
For women, the loss of access has particularly serious consequences. Female participants from Kokolo Ama said restrictions on available farmland, due to the forest reserve had also undermined traditional farming practices, particularly bush fallowing.
“Before now, we used to practise bush fallowing, but we can’t practise that anymore. The farming space used to be larger, but due to the forest reserve, the farming space is now smaller, which has affected our income,” they said.
Emomotimi Duabo, a female participant from Gbanraun community, described the consequences of losing access to forest resources, saying, “The problem is now we cannot go to the forest anymore, so we are hungry. Now there is nothing like entering forest, nothing like setting trap, nothing like harvesting snail, ogbono, etc,” she said.
HOMEF believes conservation must not become another form of exclusion. Protecting biodiversity requires meaningful community participation, transparent management arrangements and fair consideration of the people whose lives are connected to the forest.
Oil pollution deepens ecological degradation
Members from Apoi Creek Forests host communities also reported declining soil fertility, reduced crop yields, deteriorating water quality and the disappearance of fish and wildlife, which they associated with environmental degradation and oil pollution.
Mr Michael Edu, Secretary of the Apoi Community Development Committee, lamented the loss of biodiversity, noting that “Cedar, Mahogany and Iroko trees have gone extinct due to exploitation,” adding that antelopes, grass cutters, bush pigs and other wildlife once found in the area had become scarce.
Secretary General of Gbanraun community, Chief Bibeledei Ebikeseye, similarly described the deterioration of the environment, saying, “The soil used to be fertile, not anymore,” he said, adding that pollution had affected crop production and that many fish species had disappeared.
Representatives from Gbanraun and Kokolo Ama communities also demanded for the proper mapping of the reserved forest in order to enable the three host communities ascertain their percentage of the reserve.
Participants also said crops that previously grew without fertiliser no longer yielded as expected, while rainwater that was once clear had become visibly polluted and dark.
“Our lands are no more fertile due to pollution, and we still eat from the same lands because we have no option. The rain water used to be clear and clean, but it’s dark now and we still drink it that way,” they said.
Residents attributed some of the environmental problems to recurring oil spills, including major incidents they identified in 2017 and 2025. They alleged that a 2025 spill from a facility operated by Oando at neighbouring Ogboinbiri community spread with the tide towards Apoi, Gbanraun, Kokolo Ama and other neighbouring communities.
These reports require transparent investigation, independent environmental assessment and effective remediation wherever contamination is established. Conservation efforts cannot adequately protect an ecosystem while pollution continues to threaten the land, water and aquatic resources on which surrounding communities depend.
Despite their concerns, the communities expressed a commitment to protecting the remaining forest and wildlife. Ebikeseye said residents had begun planting trees to support regeneration.
“We don’t want animals to go extinct. We are aware that some have gone extinct. The ones that are available, we are conserving them. We want our environment to be greener. We want to bring back the green life back to its normalcy as it was when we were young.”
Their efforts underscore the importance of recognising communities as partners in conservation rather than treating them as obstacles to it.
Women need practical support
The women’s training highlighted the need to connect conservation with sustainable livelihoods, food security and access to essential services. Apoi Women Leader, Mrs Ebifaghe Kemela, called for livelihood support and access to the reserve.
“Our women here don’t have access to the reserved area. We should have access to that very place to look for our livelihood,” she said.
She also requested support for poultry and small businesses, fishing and farming, scholarships and assistance for elderly residents.
Residents further raised concerns about inadequate healthcare, potable water, electricity, roads, telecommunications and qualified teachers. Chief Jacob Kurobo called for improved social infrastructure, including roads, telecommunication mast, connection to the national electricity grid and pipe-borne water.
Stella Oyege from Kokolo Ama community drew attention to deficiencies in healthcare and education, saying “There are no facilities in our hospital. There are no qualified teachers to teach our children here. So please, let the federal government hear our cry and come to our aid,” she said.
While conservation projects cannot replace government’s responsibility to provide essential public services, their implementation must respond to community realities and ensure that affected people are not left to bear the costs of protecting nature without tangible benefits.
HOMEF demands community-centred conservation
Cadmus Atake-Enade, Programs Manager, Fossil Politics at HOMEF, said the engagement was intended to document community interests and challenges and ensure residents’ voices informed project implementation.
“We’ve been able to harness a lot of information, the people’s interest in the forest, their benefits and as well as their challenges,” he said. “We are here to amplify the community voices. That’s our core.”
HOMEF calls on the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment, UNDP and other project partners to:
- Guarantee community participation in decisions on reserve management, access, restoration and benefit-sharing.
- Review livelihood restrictions through transparent engagement with the three communities, ensuring that necessary conservation measures do not unnecessarily deprive residents of food and income.
- Provide practical livelihood support, particularly for women and young people, including sustainable farming and fishing assistance, skills development and small-business support.
- Investigate reported oil pollution and ensure independent assessments, accountability, clean-up and ecological restoration wherever contamination is confirmed.
- Protect community health and food security by assessing reported changes in water quality, soil productivity and aquatic life, and improving access to safe water.
- Establish transparent monitoring and accountability mechanisms that enable residents to track conservation outcomes, livelihood commitments and the distribution of project benefits.
The Apoi experience highlights a fundamental principle: nature conservation must protect both ecosystems and the people who depend on them. The communities have expressed a willingness to support forest regeneration, but their commitment must be matched by respect for their livelihoods, meaningful participation and accountable action on environmental degradation.
Conservation must restore the forest without dispossessing its people
