UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT

A COINCISE REPORT ON
FIELD WORK

PRESENTED BY
NELSON MUZAN NWAKIRI
U2018/6010030

COURSE TITLE: FIELD COURSE

CODE: GEM 205.1

COURSE CORDINATORS: PROF. MRS GLADYS EMENIKE,

DR. IKECHUKWU ELEWON (HOD),
DR. MARK OGORO,
DR. T. N. DEEKOR,
DR. ELUDONYE

MARCH, 2020.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

My most appreciation goes to the administrative board of my school,

University of Port-Harcourt, that have seen the needs and importance of this
program and gave approval.

I am most grateful to the Head of department, Dr. Elewon who was

beside us through thin and thick till we came to a conclusion of our field work.
Our unreserved gratitude goes to Prof. Mrs. Emenike who always spurred us
to action, her demeanor influenced other people with whom she is constantly
interacting with.

The part of Dr. Eludonye, cannot be undermined. He gave us the idea of

biogeography, that is environmental information of plants, trees and other
species. We also wish to thank Dr. Mark Ogoro and Dr. T.N. Deekor in the
department of Geography and environmental management for their time,
energy and resources towards this field course. Through them we were able
to obtain knowledge about hydrology and geomorphology.

The commitment shown by these lecturers in the University of Port-

Harcourt especially in the department of geography and environmental
management provided us with the first intellectual stimulation which compelled
us to focus and work effectively.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover Page i

Acknowledgement ii

Table of Contents iii

Introduction/ Objectives 1

Location of the Field Work 1

Essence of the Field Work 2

Tools used in the Field Work 3

Day 1 3

- Arrival 3

Day 2 4

- Vegetation studies 5

- Stone mining 6

- Adada water project 7

- Stream studies 9

- Spring studies 11

Day 3 12

- People survey 12

- Market survey 13

- Land use survey 13

-Farming system survey 13

INTRODUCTION

Field work generally entails a research or study that is done in the real world
rather than in a library or laboratory. The journey made by a group of people
often students to study in the natural environment is referred to field trip.
(Oxford advanced learners dictionary).

OBJECTIVE OF A FIELD WORK

Geography as a subject concerned with the study of human activities in

relation to the physical environment, geography should have a strong appeal
to young people. Yet in many instances the subject evokes little interest and
has even to justify its place in the curriculum. It is regrettable but true that in
many of our schools geography is still largely taught as a compendium of facts
about the world. Although more enlightened approaches are available, many
teachers still cling to the traditional method for putting the subject across and
emphasize learning of facts rather than understanding of principles. How can
teachers avoid burdening the minds of children with mere factual information
and make Geography more realistic, meaningful and intellectually
challenging?

DESCIPTION OF LOCATION

We embarked on the field trip to Okigwe in Imo state, on Tuesday, the 10th of
March 2020, touring several spatial locations in the country both towns and
villages within the areas of our interest which where Ukwunwangwu Uturu in
Abia State, Ivo River in Abia state, Ishiagu Stone Mining company in Ebonyi
state, Adada Water Project in Enugu State
The climate condition observed during the trip;

Tuesday, 10th March 2020

Day: 36o|oF
Night: 25o|oF
Precip: 8%
Humidity: 28%
Wind: 5km/h

Wednesday, 11th March 2020

Day: 33o|oF
Night: 26o|oF
Precip: 9%
Humidity: 30%
Wind: 5km/h

Thursday, 12th March 2020

Day: 36 o|oF
Precip: 8%
Humidity: 27%
Wind: 6km/h

ESSENCE/IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD WORK

Primarily as a geographer, our laboratory is the field, so more emphasis must

be laid on the importance and relevance of the field work which has developed
tremendously from ideographic to nomothetic approach (scientific).

The essences as explained by the field coordinator are as follows;

1. It is of great pedagogical importance as it lets students experience the

geography of a particular region which theoretical texts can't do.
2. Field surveys enhance our understanding about patterns and spatial
distributions, their associations and relationships at the local level.
3. Field surveys facilitate the collection of local level information that is
not available through secondary sources.
4. It is very important as it helps to gather required information so as the
problems under investigation is studied in depth as per the predefined
objectives.
5. Field studies enable the investigator to comprehend the situation and
processes in totality and at the place of their occurrence.

TOOLS USED IN THE FIELD WORK

tools used in the field work include the following;

 Pencils and Pen

 Reflective jackets
 Hard sole shoes or safety boots
 Nylon bags
 Field notebook
 GPS (Global Positioning System) parameter
 Cutlass
 Ranging poles
 Hand glove
 Measuring tap
 Swimming trunk

DAY 1
ARRIVAL-

We left the arena at about 12:40pm and arrival at Pego hotel in Okigwe Imo
State around 4:15pm on the 10th of march 2020 the weather condition of the
place was a little bit friendly but partly sunny, although the hotel was kind of
old but that was all the comfort we needed for the time being we waited
outside for some minutes, after the coordinators where done with the
inspection and negotiation of the hotel we were allocated to our room. Room
52 was allocated me and my friends, it was on the third floor, the view from
the room nice at least we could see the pool, bar and other parts of the hotel.
After settling down for some minutes in the hotel room allocated to us we
headed out to observe the area for ourselves, truth be told it was nothing
compared to Port Harcourt but that was what brought us to the spatial location
to see some feature which we cannot see in our area region.

The colour of the sand was brown and it was also a fine sand, they have
more of old building and semi fallen houses, the lands where hilly lands with
gentle slope, the Environment was dusty due to lack of rain fall and presence
of the brown sand.

Though it was an urban settlement and the settlement pattern was clustered
and from the look of things they were mainly Christians, little or no mosque at
all, the Ethnic composition where people from other part of the East and live in
Okigwe and people from Okigwe too, truly it was an urban settlement, the
dominant land use type is Agricultural and Commercial land use which tells
why they are more of Farmers and Traders among them.

I also saw a place where the sale water, which show that access to good
water is limited to the people due to the elevation the land (150m above sea
level).

After the observation we went on a quest for food because we were

exhausted and hungry, getting to find something to eat was not easy because
it was an unknown location but to God be the glory we found something at
last. After the meal we headed back to the hotel before it got dark and started
getting ready for the main event which would be the next day.

DAY 2
FIRST SEGMENT: OVERSTOREY SPECIES COMPOSITION AND
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS SURVEY

TECHNIQUES IN VEGETATION STUDIES

Location: this study was carried out at Ukwunwangwu Uturu Abia State, by Mr
Dollar, we arrived at the location at about 9:29pm.
 UKWUNWANGWU VEGETATION

Vegetation are flora(plants) that have

acclimatized to a particular environment
favourable to them, they are unevenly
distributed in population and type. Two
methods of determining the distribution
of plants and predominant species are:
transcend and quadrat method. We used
the quadrat method.

The area was divided into four

(rectangular shape), the measurement
was 25x25m(assumed) quadrat. After
which the girth of each tree was measured,1.5m(assumed) from the bottom.
The crown was also measured, after this we proceeded to specie studies and
understory. The general land use of the area is Agricultural land use.

Summary of the study

Land use-Agriculture

Condition of vegetation-good

Elevation-102m above sea level

Longitude-007o26.639E’

Latitude-05o49.765N’

Ground cover-litter

Drainage-dry
Tree 1 Tree 2

Tag no. 1 Tag no. 2

Length(cm)-60cm Lenght(cm) 10cm

Leaf type-narrow Leaf type- narrow

Crown diameter- Crown diameter-

10.8m+3m/2=6.9cm 11.6m+3.2m/2=7.4cm

Understory survey

Specie 1 Pines- total-7

Specie 2 Cassava-total-44

Specie 3 Grasses-total-10

Relevance : The study of biogeography makes available plants for food and
medicinal purposes. The crown cover is essential to know the tree cover. We
left the site at about 10:50am due to the fact that I almost lost my phone due
to my carelessness.

SECOND SEGMENT

STONE MINNING COMPANY AT ISHIAGU EBONYI STATE

At 11:25am we arrived at crushed rock industry in Ishiagwu Ebonyi State. It is

a company where rock materials are extracted and then broken down in
smaller parts in different sizes for several uses. These rocks materials are
used for building or construction of dam, bridges etc. Examples of this rocks
materials are gravel, granite etc. There are two types of mining which are
surface and underground mining.
The material used for mining are:

1. Jaw crusher: mine wagon tractor used to move mine deposit E.g rock,
iron. The jaw crusher breaks rocks into smaller.
2. Jaw conveyor belt: use to carry the stored aggregate to the jaw crusher
which breaks into smaller particles then to the screen to sieve it.
3. Electric rotor causes the movement of the conveyor belt.
4. Dust suppressor: this is the engine that sprinkle water on the powdered
granite to enable it solidify.
5. Explosives: they are used to break the ground.

Environmental impact on mining

 Disruption of ecosystem
 It is the major source of revenue to the ishiagwu community
 It causes dust and noise pollution

Stone Dust Ishigwu Stone Mining

THIRD SEGMENT
ADADA WATER/DAM OROJECT
We arrived Adada dam in Enugu state at about12:50pm where had some
discussion about the abandoned project.

“The construction of the Adada river dam in Nigeria Enugu state is expected to
be completed and commence operational in July 2016. This was revealed by
the Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi during his inspection at the dam’s
constriction site. He added that, his administration is ready and willing to
provide the necessary support to ensure the project is delivered as scheduled
the project is being supported by the government through the Ministry of
Water Resource.

The US$10.06m constriction project will be executed under the supervision of

the Federal Ministry of Water Resources. Furthermore, Justice Ihedioha, the
project site Engineer, confirmed that the first phase of the project has already
been completed including the dam foundation while the remaining part of the
project has been recorded to be at 30% complete.
According to the State Government, the Adada river dam in Nigeria will boost
the economic activities in the rural communities that cut across Udi, Uzo-
Uwani, and Igbo-Etiti Local Council areas of the Enugu State as well as
supplying power to the dam.
However, according to Robert Umezulike, a representative from the Ministry of
Water Resource and a chief hydrologist, after its construction is complete the
dam will supply power to the greater Nsukka water scheme, which has now
been in the pipeline for decades.

The Adada river dam in Nigeria is expected to generate and hold a maximum
of 1.3 million cubic meters of water for a whole year which will also contribute
in eradicating water shortage in the area apart from serving and adding value
to the lives of the various communities, the dam project will as well offer
employment opportunity during and after its construction stage”.
All this was well said, reported and carried all over the media by news men,
the project was expected to be fully functional by 2016. This is 2020 another
abandoned project.

Adada water project

FOURTH SEGEMENT

STREAM STUDIES (Hydrological analysis)

LOCATION AND NATURE OF WORK

The stream studies was carried out in Ivo River in Ivo Local Government Area
Abia State.

We arrived at the location at about 1:50pm and left by 2:24pm.

The materials used are:

 ranging pole
 tape
 rope
 swimming outfits

We started the study conducted by Dr. Mark and Dr Dollar with the help of a
student named Peter by determining the processing area of the channel of the
river (channel morphology). This entails measurements of the width, length,
depth, velocity, sediment load, discharge, temperature, conductivity and
stream colour identification.

The measurements are as follows:

Width-13.27m.(assumed)

Length-determined, using the direction of flow, from point A to point B.

-30m.(assumed)

Depth-the depth of the river was measured at the interval of 3 point.

1st point-3.6ft

2nd point-4.2ft

3rd point-6.4ft middle of the river

Generally, the cross sectional area was determined by;

Formula=LXW=C.A of the three (3) points

1. 30x13.27=398.1msquare.

The measurement of the depth: the depth of the stream was measured with
the help of a ranging pole, it was used to deep into the river in three (3)point
intervals the right bank, left bank, and the middle of the stream to determine
the depth of the river and then measured with a tape to get the accurate
reading .

Determination of discharge: the discharge is the total amount of water and

other fluvial materials the river is able to carry as it flows, measured in cubic
metres. The materials at the bed floor (bolder) were examined. Using this
formula: v/t=d, also the velocity of the river was determined by using a float.
While measuring, it was observed that the flow was slow due to the
morphology of the stream, this accounted for the slow movement of the float
to the other end.

The velocity is calculated thus:

V=D/T 30/240s(assumed)

Discharge = velocity/area 0.125/398.1msq.

CHALLENGES

 Lack of participation due to colour of the river

 Difficulty in taking measurement of the river depth
 Unpleasant odour at the stream
 Inadequate time to complete the studies/analysis

IMPORTANCE OF THE STREAM STUDIES

 It provides gauging areas of river stations comprising, the discharge,

velocity, conductivity, salinity, temperature, colour data and dissolved
elements. This gives concrete knowledge of the river for several
purposes.
  Helps understand and practice better agricultural activities
 The river provides natural protein for man.
 The sediment load in a river system accounts for economic activities
such as dredging/mining.
 Provides ideas in understanding and prevention of siltation of the river
area which results to extinction of species such as hydrophytes.
 Ascertains the deepness and shallowness of a river which influences
transportation.

Ivo Stream

FIFTH SEGEMENT

SPRING STUDIES-

This was the last location of the second day of our field course we arrived the
location at around 3:20pm, It was in Okigwe Village Imo State.

The Okwomonuwa spring was discovered by a man very long ago from the
village, the village has no source of water so the Okwomonuwa spring
became their only source of water.
The Spring water was from a place in Abia State, In 1987 some NYSC corps
sent to the village constructed a step so the Spring cater can be easily
accessible by the dweller, at a point in time a past government picked up
interest to maintain the Spring but
due to change in government the
spring was abandoned once more
by the government. As it is the
Spring water is still functioning, we
where told that during raining
season the volume of the spring
water increases.

Due to lack of maintenance the

surrounding looks unkept and
bushy, the villagers pray that one day someone or the government will come
remember them and come to their aid to maintain the spring once again.

DAY 3-

POPLE, MARKET, FARM AND LAND USE SURVEY

Site/location: Eke-Okigwe Market. Beside Pauli mama oil and gas fillings
stations, Along Owerri Rd.

Geographically located at Lat: N05o49.488 and long:E007o20.880

This section started at about 09:23am and was supervised by PROF. MRS
EMENIKE, she explained to us the concept of land use.

Land use is described as the use to which a land is put into, land naturally
have vegetation on them, these vegetation are destroyed for settlement to be
established. Land can be used for political, economic and social reasons. The
dominant land use in Okigwe is Residential land use, commercial (market)
land use. Other land uses include mixed land use (used for both market and
residents), recreational, educational, religious, agricultural and sacred (land
kept untouched believed to be inhabited by deities or gods).
There is high urbanization in Eke-Okigwe market area because it’s a central
business district (CBD) and the confluence of different towns.

TASK: as geographers, we are mandated to provide answers to where, what,

how and why, we were able to determine the number of houses, population of
people, market type and dominant farming systems. We did this by
interviewing the people with our questionnaires, information were gathered at
different intervals.

SUMMARY OF DATA GATHERED

PEOPLE SURVEY

Gender of respondent Male-18, Female- 9

Languages spoken Igbo, English
Religion Christian-27, trad.-nil
Land use type Commercial(dominant), residential, others
Settlement type Urban
Settlement pattern Clustered/ housing material-concrete
Reason for pattern Central business district/ confluence
Human activities Trading (dominant), farming

MARKET AND FARM SURVEY

Market name Eke-Okigwe Market

Gender of respondent
Market type/interval
Commodities traded
Source of products
Service commodities
Farming system/type
Crops grown
Male-7, Female-13
Daily(dom.) / 8days interval
Agric. Products and service comm.
Locally, within and outside state
Hairdressers, tailor
Commercial/intensive
Yam, cassava, tomatoes, green
vegetables, maize, millet.
Picture of one of our correspondent during the market surveyor

Happy moment with the Prof.