Page:Niger Delta Ecosystems- the ERA Handbook, 1998.djvu/195

Human Ecosystems: Introduction *The intensification of shifting agriculture in the Lowland Equatorial Monsoon ecozone so that more land was brought into agriculture as farms and fallow-land at the expense of cultured forest, which was itself subjected to more intensive hunting and gathering in addition to increased exploitation for timber. Fallow periods became shorter, thus farms less productive and abandoned earlier. (The nature of "shifting agriculture" is discussed more fully in the following Chapter).
 * The Fresh-Water ecozone was more intensively exploited for fishing, hunting, gathering and timber.
 * The rapid spread of oil palm in the Lowland Equatorial Monsoon ecozone because of its economic value and because the changing ecological conditions favoured it: the oil palm thrives in the light open conditions and it is fire resistant, even as a small seedling.
 * The domination of the raffia palm in the swamp forests as light restricting timber species were removed.
 * The introduction of useful exotic plants offset by an overall decline in biodiversity.

16.3.5 THE STAGE TWO IMPACT OF MODERN PEOPLE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

The stage two impact, through which we are living now, was initiated by a combination of a peaceful settled life, high agricultural production and health services. All these factors began to push the human population beyond ecological viability (by the 1960s), with growth rates of between 2.5% and 3% (doubling times of thirty and twenty-five years respectively).

The environmental impact has been a rapid and continuing intensification of the six factors described above, to give the present modern human ecosystems.

In the Niger Delta we can add to this an insatiable world demand for the region's oil and a corrupt, inefficient and environmentally careless oil industry. The result is the sad condition of the human environment in the Niger Delta today.

16.4 SOCIETY

The social development of the Niger Delta is based upon the human economic impact. Six striking social indicators are evident.

16.4.1 SETTLEMENT IS DETERMINED BY ACCESS TO ECONOMIC RESOURCES

Which are: 193
 * water-ways for communications, water and fish;
 * agricultural land;
 * forest resources;
 * roads and associated public transport;
 * health and education facilities;
 * employment; and
 * markets.