An Assessment on the Roles and Accountability of Adjacent Local Communities in Decentralized Forest Management System in Mufindi District, Iringa, Tanzania
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/je.1682Keywords:
Decentralized Forest Management Approach, Ihang’ana Forest Reserves, Community Based Forest Management, Joint Forest Management, Bottom Up Management.Abstract
Purpose: This study was undertaken in Ihang’ana Forest Reserve to provide an understanding of the roles and accountability of forest stakeholders in decentralized forest management for sustainability. The study was proposed specifically to assess decentralization of forest management approach by identifying the main stakeholders and examine their roles and methods used on management of the Ihang’ana Forest Reserve.
Methodology: Multiple research methods were used for data collection which included literature reviews, structured questionnaires survey; institutional and key informant interviews, transect walks and observation and focus group discussions. The study adopted a mixed methods approach with simple and purposive sampling procedures. Quantitative data were analysed through SPSS with support of content analysis for qualitative data. Three villages adjacent to Ihang’ana forest were studied as target population Igeleke, Kibengu and Mwatasi with a total of 102 sampled respondents.
Findings: The key findings of the study revealed that the major stakeholders in the management of Ihang’ana forest reserves were the local communities adjacent the forest reserves, the government and non-governmental organizations. The roles played by these stakeholders were guarding and patrolling done by local communities, education provision on forest management and facilities provision of seminars and workshops. The methods used to conserve and manage forest resources in Ihang’ana forest were afforestation, reforestation, agroforestry, destocking, implementation of enacted by-laws and the use of alternative energy. Several factors that led to effective management of the Ihang’ana Forest were implementation of forest by-laws, community inclusiveness, and strictness of the forest committee and application of deterrent penalties. The study concludes that local community participation in decentralized forest management bottom up approach is of paramount. The inclusiveness of the local community had led to effective management of the forest.
Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that, decentralized bottom-up approach forest management should be maintained for the forest sustainability. Also the central government should continue supporting the local communities in conservation activities of the forest, maintaining the existing fire breaks and timing for clearing the fire breaks is crucial.
Downloads
References
Adhikari, B., Falco, D.S. and Lovett, C.J. (2004), “Household characteristics and forest dependency”, evidence from common property forest management in Nepal. Ecological Economics 48:245-257.
Bass S., Thornber K., Markopoulos M., Roberts S., and Grieg-Gran M. (2001),
Blomley, T., Kerstin, P., Isango, J., Zahabu, E., Ahrends, A. and Burgess, N. (2008), seeing the wood for trees: an assessment of the impact of participatory forest management on forest condition in Tanzania. Oryx, Vol. 42 No 3, pp. 380-391.
Bray, D.B, L. Merino-Perez and D. Barry. (Eds) (2005), the community Forest of Mexico. Managing for sustainable Landscapes: Austin: University of Texas Press.
Bukhi, M. (2011), Participation and Benefit Sharing under Joint Forest Management in Nou Catchment Forest Reserve. M. Sc, Dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam.
Burgess ND, Clarke GP, Madgewick J, Robertson SA and Dickinson A 2000 Distribution and Status. In. Burgess ND and Clarke GP (eds). The Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
Certifications Impacts on forests, stakeholders and supply chains, IIED London.
De Vos, A.S.; Strydom, H.; Fouché, C.B. and Delport, C.S.L. (2002), Research at grass roots -For the social sciences and human service professions. (2nd Ed) J.L. van Schaik: Pretoria
Dugilo, N. M. (2009), Impact of Community Based Forest management on resource base, governance and livelihood of communities around Selela Forest Reserve, Monduli, Tanzania, Dissertation for Award of MSc Degree at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania.
FAO (2002), Community-based forest resource conflict management Training package, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome
Hamilton, A.C. and Bensted-Smith, R. (Eds) (1989), Forest Conservation in the East Usambara Mountains, Tanzania, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.
Henry J. Ndangalasi, Cosmas Mligo* and Ester F. Mvungi (2014) composition and size class structure of tree species in Ihang’ana forest reserve, Mufindi district, tanzania
Joel et al., (2007), The Western Bark Beetle Research Group: A Unique Collaboration With Forest Health Protection, General Technical Report Proceedings of a Symposium at the 2007 Society of American Foresters Conference October 23–28, 2007, Portland, Oregon.
Kajembe, G.C. Nduwamungu, J.N, and Luoga, E.J. (2000), The Impact of Community-Based Forest Management and Joint Forest Management on the Forest Resource Base and Local Peoples livelihood: Case studies fromTanzania//www.sarpn.org.za/documents/d0001454/P1800-Kajembe-et al/PLAAS CASS.pdf.
Leach, M., Mearns, R., Scoones, I. (1999), Environmental entitlement: Dynamics and institutions in community–based natural resource management. World Development 27(2): 225-247
Linder HP, JC, Mutke J, Barthlott W, Jürgens N, Rebelo T and Küper W 2005 A numerical re-evaluation of the sub-Saharan Phytochoria of mainland Africa. Biol. Skr. 55: 229-252.
Maharjan, M.R., T.R. Dakal, S.K. Thapa, K. Schreckenberg & C. Luttrel.l (2009), improving the benefits to the poor from community forestry in Congo. International Forestry Review 11(2): 254-267.
Mallango ASM, Gedion AM, Mwanakulya RA, Massam IS, Sabuni FBN and Noerdam M 1997 Udzungwa Forest Management Project Proposal, Iringa Region
Mayer, J. (2000), The Pyramid: A diagnostic and Planning Tool for Good Forest Governance. A World Bank Journal by WWF
Mbwambo, J.S (2000), The Role of Local Knowledge and Organizations in Sustainable Conservation of Biodiversity: A Case Study of Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. M.Sc dissertation in Management of Natural Resources for sustainable Agriculture SUA, Morogoro
Michael, A.S. (2005), Deforestation in Ghana: Explaining the Chronic Failure of Forest Preservation Policies in Developing Country. Accra publishers, Accra.
Ndangalasi HJ 2004 Implications of utilization of Non-Timber Forest products from Mountain Ecosystem. The case study of Udzungwa and Njerera Forest Reserves, Tanzania. PhD Thesis, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Nyeme, L. (2010), Effectiveness of Community Participation in Forest Resource Management and Poverty Reduction in Suledo Forest. M. Sc, Dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam
Trust (2004), Practical Guide for Reporting Effect Size in Qualitative Research”, Journal of Counseling and Development, Vol.82, pp 107-110
United Republic of Tanzania, (2007), Participatory Forest Management: Facts and Figures; Forestry and Beekeeping Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Henry George Mung’ong’o
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.
