Examining The Effectiveness of Community-Based Projects in Fostering Environmental Stewardship and Promoting Local Sustainability Initiatives in Cross River State, Nigeria

The study examined the effectiveness of community-based projects in fostering environmental stewardship and promoting local sustainability initiatives in Cross Rivers State, Nigeria. The study was guided by three objectives, three research questions and three null hypotheses. A descriptive survey research design was adopted and it was carried out in Cross River State. The population for the study was 156 local community members, consisting of 85 adult males and 71 adult females selected from 15 communities in Cross River State. Structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The instrument was face validated by three lecturers in Educational Research Measurement and Evaluation Unit in the Department of Educational Psychology, University of Calabar, Cross River State. Cronbach alpha reliability method was used to ascertain the internal consistency of the instrument and a reliability coefficient of 0.81 was obtained. Data collection was carried out by the researcher and three trained research assistants. Mean, standard deviation and t-test were used to analyse the data collected. The findings revealed twelve (12) community-based environmental projects for fostering environmental stewardship and promoting local sustainability initiatives; seventeen (17) impacts of community-based environmental projects for fostering environmental stewardship and promoting local sustainability initiatives; and eighteen (18) strategies for enhancing community engagement in environmental stewardship and local sustainability initiatives in Cross River State among others. Based on the findings, the study concluded that effective community-based projects play crucial roles in enhancing environmental stewardship and local sustainability initiatives. It was recommended that government, NGOs and community leaders should establish regular forums and workshops to promote dialogue among community members, ensuring grassroots participation in environmental stewardship and sustainability initiatives; communities should partner with universities and research institutions to facilitate research, capacity building, and the dissemination of best practices related to sustainability initiatives among others.