The Human Perception of Land Degradation in a Section of Niger Delta, Nigeria

This study looked at the perception of the people of the Niger Delta on the issue of land use-land cover changes and degradation that has been reported by several scholars to be wide spread in the study area as a result of anthropogenic factors and climate change. As a result of this, the study therefore used questionnaire and personal observation to investigate what the people thought about the land use-land cover changes, degradation, its causes, implications and how they are coping with it. It was found out that degradation such as erosion, flooding, saline water intrusion, devegetation, toxicity, subsidence, badlands, oil spillage and oil pollution were prevalent in the area. It was also discovered that the people were highly vulnerable as a result of poor coping strategies to the degradation and little or no assistance from the concerned authorities and multi nationals.