ASSESSMENT OF WOMEN PARTICIPATION ON FOREST REGENERATION AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SHERE HILLS FOREST RESERVE, PLATEAU STATE.

The study was conducted to assess women participation in forest regeneration and biodiversity conservation. The study was carried out in three different communities of Jos east local government area of Plateau state. A sample and sampling techniques was used, which three different communities Shere Akan, Dinya and Jankassa within the Shere districts were randomly selected. Data were collected from questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency percentage). Personal observation, oral interviews and questionnaires where used as a tools for data collection. Result showed that the mean ages of the dependents at (32.9%) of the respondents were mostly involved and majority are single (35.9%). Further result showed that 47.4% of the respondents completed secondary school education with farming (48.3%) is the major source of income. Also respondents are indigenes of the study area which showed 37.2% with majority (71.8%) of the respondent having knowledge in the forest regeneration and wildlife conservation activities and their involvement in forest regeneration activities. Respondents that are involved in forest regeneration conservation activities, 39.0% rarely participates and 32.9% often participate on a daily basis in forest regeneration conservation activities. The challenges mainly faced in participation in forest regeneration and conservation activities ranges from lack of resources (32.5%) and limited access to land (28.6%). The result recommended that government agencies and NGO should enhance training and capacity building focusing on forest requirement and conservation techniques which improve level of participation of women in regeneration and conservation.