SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL SURVEY OF PARKS AND GARDENS IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA NIGERIA

Abstract

Opinions of Abuja residents and potential recreational parks and gardens users were sought using structured questionnaires in order to document their socio-ecological knowledge. Three hundred (300) respondents were randomly selected from each of the Area Councils and questioned on the following socio-ecological issues: satisfaction with parks in the FCT, satisfaction with recreational facilities in the FCT, major activities in city parks and the recreational facilities, activities respondents want to see in parks, assessment on the amount of greening, security in parks, reasons for not using parks, willingness to pay for re-vegetation, participation in parks community services and awareness of publications by department of parks. The results showed that majority of the respondents (79%) and (70%) were not satisfied with the number of Parks in the FCT and Recreational Facilities in the FCT respectively. Also, on the major kinds of activity people would like to in City Parks and Recreational Facilities, selling of drinks (bar operation) was the highest (26%). On the facilities which respondents want to see in Parks highest number of respondents 31% would like Community centers. The amount of Greening was also assessed, majority of the respondents (83%) were not satisfied with the amount of greening in the FCT. On the Provision of Security in the Parks, majority of the respondents (84.3%) were not satisfied. Furthermore, reasons why some people may not like to use the parks were investigated, and three major reasons advanced were rowdy atmosphere, religious consideration and family background. Highest number of respondents 40.7% observed that rowdy atmosphere hindered them from patronizing the parks. On the willingness of people to pay for re-vegetation, 52% of the respondents were willing to pay for re vegetation in the Council Areas. Again, participation in Parks Community Services was high, and concerning the Awareness of Publications by Department of Parks, 81% respondents were aware of the publications by department of parks in the Council Areas. These parks and green areas are the ecological units with indicators that need urgent policies for their maintenance and sustenance for both ecological and socio-ecological benefits.