Despite the ecological significance of Akwa Ibom State’s tropical rainforests and mangroves, statutory management frameworks have largely failed to stem rapid deforestation. This study investigates the “Perceptions and Contributions of Local Social Groups” across ten selected forest locations (including Stubbs Creek, Mbioso, and the Lower Imo River) to bridge the institutional gap between state policy and indigenous stewardship. Adopting a mixed-methods approach with a purposive sample of 300 participants from Traditional Councils, Youth Associations, and Women’s Cooperatives, the research utilizes Political Ecology and the Theory of Access to diagnose the root causes of forest degradation. Findings reveal a profound “Specialization of Stewardship”: Women demonstrate the highest environmental awareness (90%) through sustainable selective harvesting of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), while Traditional Councils provide moral authority via sacred groves, and Youth Groups provide the primary operational force for surveillance (85%). However, the study identifies a critical “Awareness-Exclusion Paradox”, where high local awareness is neutralized by structural barriers, most notably the Land Use Act (86.7%), Patriarchal Land Tenure (4.55 mean score), and Elite Capture (65%). These factors drive a “liquidation mindset” among marginalized youth and a transition of elders from custodians to “land brokers.” The study concludes that sustainable management requires a shift from top-down command-and-control to a Tripartite Co-Management Framework. By formalizing Community Land Trusts, integrating youth into digital maritime and forest surveillance, and empowering women in formal governance, the state can transform local groups from passive bystanders into active partners. This study provides the empirical basis for an inclusive “Blue-Green Economy” that aligns ancestral wisdom with modern geospatial intelligence to ensure the long-term survival of the Niger Delta’s natural heritage.

Keywords: Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM), Political Ecology, Akwa Ibom State, Elite Capture, Gendered Knowledge, Co-Management Framework, Niger Delta.