Ethnobotany of Ecological-Based Tourist Centres in the Western Zone of Ekiti State, Nigeria

The rapid appraisal method was used to assess the potentials of ecological-based tourism in three tourist centres situated in the western zone of Ekiti State, Nigeria. Visits were made to the centres. In each centre, the tree species, in the vegetation, situated within 50m radius of the main attractive feature of the centre were identified. The ethnobotanical values of the species were defined by 20 randomly selected aboriginal respondents that were interviewed with the aid of semi-structured questionnaire matrix. Also, in each centre, 10 tourists were randomly selected and interviewed on the values of the flora species in the centre. While the aboriginal respondents were versed on the identification and ethnobotanical values of the flora species, the tourist respondents were grossly deficient on these. Thus the results obtained revealed that the centres could serve as avenues to educate tourists on the biodiversity, ecology and ethnobotany of flora species in the immediate vicinities of the centres. Also, restoration of Nature’s Study as a subject in primary schools will also improve the consciousness and awareness of the populace on the conservation of the nation’s renewable natural resources.


Introduction
Ecological-based tourism, otherwise referred to as ecotourism or nature tourism, is a subset of tourism that involves travelling to relatively undisturbed natural areas with the objective of admiring, studying and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals as well as the cultural features embedded therein [1]. It is a relatively new development [2], with a relatively high potentials in the tourist industry.
Bushnell [3] described ecotourism as a form of development that respect tradition and culture, protects and preserves the environment, educates and welcomes visitors. While the vegetation is considered as a major pre-requisite in the determination of a site for tourism purpose [4], the aboriginal community is seen as a major stakeholder in the management of tourist sites [5].
The importance of tourism on economic development of a nation cannot be over-emphasised. Bello et. al. [6] asserted that tourism has direct, indirect and induced impact on the economy. Nigeria is reputed for having tremendous ecotourism potentials [1,7]. The country is rich in flora and fauna species. The flora species, in addition to supporting and sustaining the fauna species, are equally of numerous ethnobotanical values. The biological diversity maintains the functioning of the ecosystem. Unfortunately, these resources are being threatened by several factors such as population growth, change in land use, illegal grazing of livestock, bush burning, excessive poaching [8], urbanisation, increasing demand for food, deforestation [9. 10] and catastrophic processes [11,12].
Previous studies [13,14] have asserted that tremendous ecotourism potentials abound in Ekiti State, Nigeria. However a dearth of information abounds on the enhancement of these potentials as previous studies have failed to consider the ethnobotanical values of the flora species in the vegetation housing the tourist sites. Thus the study being reported here aimed to achieve this.

The Study Area
This study focused on the tourist sites available in Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Nigeria ( Figure  1a and b); specifically the Erin Ayonigba Sacred Fish River, Erijiyan-Ekiti, The Warm and Cold Springs, Ikogosi-Ekiti, and the Arinta Water Fall, Ipole-Iloro-Ekiti.
The climate of the study area is tropical with two seasons, a rainy season which last from April to October and a dry season, from November to March. The temperature ranged between 21°C and 28°C [15].

Methods
Visits were made to the three tourist centres -Erijiyan-Ekiti, Ikogosi-Ekiti and Ipole-Iloro-Ekiti. The major attractive feature in each centre was identified. The flora species within 30 metre radius of the main attractive feature in each centre were identified and recorded.
In each community housing the centre, 20 aboriginal residents were randomly selected and interviewed individually with the aim of determining the ethnobotanical values of the identified flora species. Also in each centre, 20 tourists were randomly selected and interviewed on their knowledge on the ethnobotanical values of the flora species.
Group interviews were conducted among the aboriginal and tourist respondents in each tourist centre. Four groups, each consisting of minimum of three respondents, were interviewed in each centre in order to determine group consensus on the information provided at individual interviews. Similarly, key informants, specifically, the Chief Priest (Iya Erin) of Erin Sacred Fish River, Tour Guards of the Warm and Cold Springs and Community Leaders in Ipole-Iloro-Ekiti, were identified and interviewed.
All the interviews were conducted with the aid of semistructured questionnaire matrix [16]. The interviews were focused, conversational and two-way in communication.

Results
The major attractive feature in Erinjiyan-Ekiti was the Erin Ayonigba River that contained sacred fish. It is a taboo to kill fish in this river. Also the river flows in an unusual direction. Information obtained from the key informants revealed that fish from the river could not be boiled to cook. Also anybody that kills fish from the river is liable to the wraths of the river goddess which ranged from infection with strange diseases, misfortune to death. Similarly, the Raphia palms in the banks of the river must not be tapped.
Field observation revealed that all the aborigines were quite familiar with the myths and taboos associated with the river. Most of the aboriginal respondents were female (60%, Table 1), over 20 years in age, illiterates and mostly worshippers of the river goddess, and reside in the close vicinity of the river. In contrast, the tourist respondents were quite ignorant of these myths and taboos. They were male dominated (67%), mostly of over 20 years, Christians and literates.
The warm and cold springs constituted the tourist centre in Ikogosi-Ekiti where the meeting point of the warm and cold springs was of special attraction. Field observation revealed that the springs were discovered by a Baptist missionary about 6 decades before this study. The centre has since been developed to an international standard. The tourist centre in Ipole-Iloro-Ekiti was the Arinta waterfall. The fall which occurred in 7 cascades is laden with difficult terrains hence most tourists were limited to visiting the last cascade (7 th Cascade).
The tourists' respondents in Ikogosi-Ekiti were more diverse in terms of tribes and places of domicile more than those of Erinjiyan-Ekiti. Tourists interviewed in Ipole-Iloro-Ekiti were less diverse when compared to those of Ikogosi-Ekiti but more diverse than those of Erinjiyan-Ekiti. Myths and taboos were not associated with the tourist centres in Ikogosi and Ipole-Iloro-Ekiti. The aboriginal respondents in both Ikogosi and Ipole-Iloro-Ekiti were male dominated, adults, illiterates and Christians while those of the tourists were equally male dominated, adults, Christians but literates. A total of 5 flora species, consisting of 4 trees and 1 herb were identified at the source of Erin river in Erinjiyan-Ekiti (Table 2), 40 flora species were identified within 30m radius of the meeting point of the warm and cold springs in Ikogosi-Ekiti (Table 3), while 17 flora species, one of which is a herb (Table 4) were enumerated at the Arinta water fall in Ipole-Iloro-Ekiti.  Table 5 shows the technical knowledge of respondents on the identified flora species. While the aboriginal respondents (100%) were able to identify the flora species identified at the tourist sites, only few proportion (22%) of the tourist respondents were able to identify some of the species. Also while all the aboriginal respondents were familiar with the ethnobotanical values of over 50% of the identified flora species at the tourist centres, only 20% of the tourist respondents were familiar with the ethnobotanical values of over 50% of the flora species. Field observation revealed that tourists ethnobotanical knowledge were limited to fruits (especially Elaeis guineensis and Mangifera indica) and shade trees. They also value the use of trees for fuel though they were deficient in the knowledge of species preference for fuel. Familiarity was also demonstrated for exotic tree species, especially Azadirachta indica, Gmelina arborea and Tectonia grandis.
The ethnobotanical values of the identified flora species were defined by the aboriginals in the three tourist centres ( Table 6). These ranged from medicine (Table 7) to fuel, timber, shade, boundary marking, wrapping leaves and to utilization for mat making. Both the aboriginal and tourists' respondents revealed that most of the identified flora species were not cultivated in their places of domiciliation. Table 8 revealed that only 21% of the indentified species were cultivated in the communities housing the tourist centres in this study while the tourist respondents identified only 15% of the identified species as being cultivated. Thus majority of the identified species were not cultivated in the study area.

Discussion
The tourist sites examined in this study were adequately suitable for ecotourism. Drum and Moore [17] opined that ecotourism enhanced biodiversity maintenance, provides justification for protected areas, environmental education and visitors' awareness. It also serves as source of revenue and employment as well as enhancing cultural exchange. Field observation made revealed that all tourist centres considered in this study fit into the above. The aboriginal vegetation in the centres was conserved. While the conservation at the River Erin was borne out of taboo, those of the other centres were borne out of government policy.
The aboriginal and tourist respondents cut across the diverse socio-economic classes ( Table 1) thus suggesting that all the respondents were conscious of the tourism potentials of the study sites. Hence socio-economic classifications were not considered as necessary pre-requisites to respondents' consciousness on tourism. Previous study by Kayode et. al. [18] has affirmed that differences in peoples' socio-economy have no negative effect on their consciousness on environmental issues.
The aboriginal respondents demonstrated extensive ecological knowledge on the flora species present in their environment (Table 5) thus confirming the previous assertion of Kayode [19]. Elsewhere, Stewarts [20] asserted that the aboriginal people in North South West of Australia recognised the cultural values of biodiversity and their environment. Field observation revealed that most of the tourist respondents care less about the ecology of flora species in their environment. Similarly they lacked knowledge on the ethnobotanical values of the species (Tables 2-4).
The inability of the tourists to identify and recognise the ethnobotanical values of the identified species could also be attributed to the existence of disturbed environment that abound in many urban areas from where the tourists came from. Such disturbance often resulted in forest fragmentation. Elsewhere in Brazil, Laurence et. al. [21] observed that mortality of trees in fragmented patches has been found to be twice that of similar trees in the forest interior. Thus it is likely that the destruction of vegetation might have resulted in the loss of traditional ecological knowledge of residents on flora species in such environment. Results from previous study of Nyamadzawo et. al. [22] also tend to support this 'out of sight, out of mind' position.
Also, the existing education system in Nigeria lacked the study of nature in the curricula of her primary schools that constituted the foundation of knowledge. Field observation revealed that most of the student tourists were Senior Secondary School students, few of them claimed to be science students. Hence they were grossly deficient on environmental matter thus suggesting that education policy deficient in 'nature's study' might escalate ignorance on environmental issue, especially among the youths.
The protection of the tourist centres examined in this study confirmed their suitability for ecotourism. Annon [23] asserted that ecotourism is a form of tourism involving visiting fragile, pristine, and relatively undisturbed natural areas. Thus suggesting that these centres, are appropriate for educational purposes, especially for study on environmental issues. Results from this study revealed that all three tourist centres enjoyed high visitations especially by students and youths from various parts of the country and abroad who lacked vital knowledge on the ecology and ethnobotanical values of the flora species in these sites (Tables 6 and 7). Previous assertion by Buckley [24] has predicted an ever increasing number of visits to ecotourism centres on a global scale.
Information revealed by the respondents revealed that few species of the identified flora species were cultivated (Table  8). A. attlis, C. albidium, E. guineensis and M. indica were cultivated for their fruits. A. indica, F. thonningii, F. platyphylla, G. arborea, S. mombins and T. grandis were cultivated for the provision of shade while D. manni was cultivated as boundary marker. Most of the identified flora species were indigenous. Study by Kayode et.al. [25] asserted that indigenous tree species were often uncultivated in the study area rather dependency, according to Kayode and Omotoyinbo [26], has been limited to the preserved wildlings. Thus, with the rapid decline in the density of indigenous tree species in Nigeria, the conservation of flora species in the tourist centres examined in this study is justified. Knowledge on the ethnobotanical values of the indigenous flora species may constitute positive incentive for their cultivation and domestication.
The primary attractions in ecotourism encompass flora, fauna, and cultural integrity of local people [23]. Observation made revealed that, as at the time of this study, the Hot and Cold Springs has been fully developed with necessary facilities, the development of Arinta Water Fall is at infancy while no reasonable development has been carried out on River Erin. River Erin is located at the heart of the town and the river flows through the entire town (Erinjiyan-Ekiti) hence natives often interact with tourists visiting the river. The Hot and Cold Springs as well as Arinta Water Fall were located at the outskirt s of the towns hence limited interactions with natives abound. Efforts should be made to improve on the interactions between the aboriginals and the visiting tourists in these centres.
Similarly, tourism is expected to improve the standard of living of the aboriginal community [27][28][29], increase income and investment [30][31][32], and enhance more business activities for local communities [32]. Field observation and information from the aboriginal respondents revealed that the three tourist centres examined have failed to fulfil these objectives. Efforts should be made to encourage the natives to improve on their economy through the sale of souvenirs, such as literature that enumerate the ethnobotanical values of the flora species and flora products, to tourists.

Conclusion
There is the need to improve on the potentials of these tourist centres to educate tourists on the biodiversity, ecology and ethnobotany of flora species in the immediate vicinities of the centres. Elsewhere in developed clime, information on the above are often provided such tourist centres thus enabling tourists the opportunity to learn about the biodiversity of the species as well as the cultural heritage of the host communities. The restoration of Nature's Study as a subject in primary schools will also improve the consciousness and awareness of the populace on the conservation of the nation's renewable natural resources.