Assessing rural peoples’ intention to adopt sustainable forest use and management practices in South Africa

This study examined rural peoples’ intention to adopt sustainability practices in communally managed forests in Vhembe district, South Africa, using the theory of planned behavior as a conceptual framework. A total of 155 respondents were surveyed. The data was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results showed that rural people have a strong intention to adopt sustainable forest-use and management practices. Out of the three constructs comprising the theory of planned behavior, subjective norm (SN) and attitude to behavior (AB) positively correlated with intention, with SN having the strongest influence on intention. Perceived behavioral control (PBC), which is the third construct, negatively correlated with intention. The study indicates that respondents’ subjective belief about the approval or disapproval of sustainable forest management (SFM) practices by other relevant people mainly influenced their intention to adopt or not adopt such practices. Thus, strategies and policies to enhance the sustainable management of communally owned forests in South Africa need to consider local actor contexts and sociocultural norms and values. In this regard, the engagement of influential people at the community level, and the demonstration of the short- and long-term benefits of sustainable forest use and management practices offer promising entry points.     

Analysis of rural people’s attitude towards the management of tribal forests in South Africa

The management of forests for multiple purposes coupled with a varying socioeconomic profile of forest users can result in attitudinal differences towards forest management. This study examines the attitudes of rural people in South Africa towards the management of tribal forests. Attitude towards forest management was analysed with respect to five forest management objectives: 1, forest management for rural livelihood resilience to climate change; 2, forest management for reduction and management of forest fire risk; 3, forest management for sustainable forest-based livelihood; 4, forest management for household socioeconomic wellbeing; and 5, forest management for community-based climate change adaptation initiative. A household questionnaire survey was used to elicit information from 155 rural households using the proportionate random sampling procedure. Chi-square test was used to analyse data from the household survey. Factorial analysis was used to analyse variance in attitude towards forest management. The results showed that rural people generally have positive attitudes toward the management of tribal forests. Factor analysis isolated 2 major factors that explained 61% variance in attitude. Based on the findings we conclude that centralising forest management around the four management objectives (1, 3, 4 & 5) are likely to promote inclusive forest-based development in the study communities.     

Socio-economic factors influencing household dependence on forests and its implication for forest-based climate change interventions§

In most African countries, forest-based climate change intervention initiatives such as nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) and national adaptation programmes of action (NAPAs) are widely accepted. This is mainly due to the fact that they are relevant in addressing multiple challenges associated with rural development, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and sustainable forest management. However, there are concerns about the implications of strategic and practical steps taken in this context on forest-dependent communities. Thus, there is need to reconcile local socio-economic vulnerabilities and forest-based climate change intervention initiatives. In the current study, socio-economic factors influencing households’ dependence on forest resources and associated implications on climate change interventions were investigated. Proportionate stratified random sampling was used to select 366 households from forest-based rural communities in Vhembe District of South Africa. A structured questionnaire was administered to household heads in 21 villages. The Pearson’s chi-square test was used to analyse the factors that influence household dependence on forest. The effects of household socio-economic characteristics on households’ forest dependence influencing factor were determined using the binary logit model. Up to 97% of the respondents depended on the forest resources predominantly because of low costs associated with using them. It was observed that socio-economic characteristics of households such as farm husbandry skills, years of residence (53–65) in the community and age of respondents (≤38–65) significantly (P < 0.05) influenced use of the forest resources. Thus, effectiveness and sustainability of forest-based climate change intervention initiatives can be promoted if the socio-economic conditions prevailing within households in areas next to forests are improved.