Impacts of participatory forest management on forest conditions: Evidences from Gebradima Forest,southwest Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

This study examines a participatory forest management program and its impacts on forest conditions in Gebradima Forest, southwest Ethiopia. Vegetation data were collected from both participatory forest management (PFM) and nonparticipatory forest management (non-PFM) forest blocks. A total of 54 plots (27 from each forest block) measuring 20 m × 20 m were employed to collect species composition and structural data. Results indicated that a total of 51 different woody plant species (49 at PFM and 43 at non-PFM blocks), representing 31 families were recorded, with 41 species were shared for both forest sites. Species diversity and evenness were higher in the forest with PFM (H´ = 3.29, E = .85) compared to the forest without PFM (H´ = 2.97, E = .79). The overall mean values of tree/shrub and seedling density per hectare, diameter class (≤ 20 cm) were also significantly (p < .05) higher in PFM forest than non-PFM forests. However, no significant variations were observed in sapling density per hectare and basal area between the two studied forest blocks. It can be concluded that PFM had a positive effect on forest conditions compared with a similar forest without PFM. Hence, it is important to scaling up PFM in neighboring forests.     

Drawbacks of decentralized natural resource management: experience from Chilimo Participatory Forest Management project, Ethiopia

This paper highlights the drawbacks of decentralized natural resource management in the rarely researched country, Ethiopia. We argue that, under the guise of decentralization policies, the central government extended its authority and also forced the high costs of its policy onto local people. In addition, local authorities have been dominated by local leaders who have changed rules to their own advantage. Moreover, the central government has failed to support local authorities. We also show the negative impacts of the shortcomings of decentralization on natural resource governance by local people, including lessened discharge of responsibilities for management and exclusion, as well as on people’s livelihoods, as in the polarization of benefits.     

How Can Participatory Forest Management Cooperatives be Successful in Forest Resources Conservation? An Evidence From Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

In many parts of the world, community-based approaches to forest management have been evolving after recognizing that the top-down approach impedes conserving forests effectively. In Ethiopia also, local communities have been involved in participatory forest management (PFM) arrangements for better conservation of forest resources. However, the achievements in improving forest conservation outcomes have been mixed, while some PFMs are successful, others are not. Using data collected from 42 PFM cooperatives from Metema and Quara districts in Amhara dry forest region of Ethiopia, this study seeks to examine the variables that explain the variations in the performances of PFM cooperatives in forest conservation. The study has found that the performance of the PFM cooperatives depends on the key attributes of users, physical resources, and institutions and these attributes explain best for the success of PFMs. Therefore, the study suggests that these attributes along with the external factors like government policy must be given due importance while designing PFM arrangement. Moreover, just to highlight the impact of the external factors, the government policy like the resettlement program must be reconsidered; while the expansion of trade and infrastructure must be encouraged in order to strengthen the performance of PFMs and achieve forest conservation.     

Sustaining Participatory Forest Management: Case Study Analyses of Forestry Assistance from Tanzania, Mozambique, Laos and Vietnam

This paper introduces case study analysis against an illustrative model, the ‘house model’, which contains a number of key elements for sustaining participatory forest management (PFM). In theory, the elements in the model are basic requirements for ensuring that the participation of local people in forest management will continue after external donor support ceases. In practice, the study shows that none of the four case study projects managed to build the whole ‘house’ nor did they have tangible impacts on all the elements, and long-term sustainability of PFM is still questionable. All four donor-supported projects had limited tangible impacts on access to information and benefits, especially with regards to long-term extension services, markets and marketing information. These were the most difficult elements to influence during and after the projects in all four cases. It is concluded that in order to sustain PFM, there needs to be a solid institutional foundation which as a minimum ensures local people’s access to information and benefits from forests under the PFM.     

谈高黎贡山自然保护区的参与式管理

位于云南省西部中缅边境的高黎贡山国家级自然保护区 ,总面积 4 0 5 5 4 9hm2 ,具有丰富的生物多样性、文化多样性以及重要的生态意义 ,但在管理实践中存在着诸多问题。为此 ,管理局在改进保护区管理方法和途径方面进行了探索 ,并取得了一些成效 ,对利益群体共同参与保护区管理以及完善管理机制等方面提出了建议。     

Floristic composition and structure of the Kibate Forest along environmental gradients in Wonchi,Southwestern Ethiopia

Dry evergreen montane forests in Ethiopia are severely threatened.The status of species composition and structure of forest vegetation are important indicators ...     

参与性方法在社区集体林经营管理中的应用

本文对在社区开发的参与性集体林经营管理的试点研究案例进行了深入的总结分析，详细阐述了参与性方法在社区集体林经营管理中应用的基本步骤和方法；通过剖析项目人员对应用参与性方法的认识；充分揭示了参与性的实质及其与社区森林持续有效的经营管理的密切关系。     

联合森林管理是参与式方法的具体实践--对印度联合森林管理方法的思考

介绍了联合森林管理方法的概念、形成、发展以及在印度农村社区森林资源管理中的应用效果,论述了联合森林管理是参与式方法在保护、利用森林资源过程中的具体实践,并提出了对联合森林管理的认识。     

杨柳流域社区参与式森林经营调查分析

社区参与式森林经营是近10年来尝试采用的一种新的森林经营发展模式.本文在对杨柳流域社区森林经营调查的基础上,分析了社区参与式森林经营的现状及存在的问题,提出了加强参与式森林经营的建议和措施.     

应用参与式方法编制集体林经营方案初探

分析了我国过去编制集体林经营方案存在的问题,提出了以行政村为单元、以农户为主体,用参与式方法编制集体林经营方案的合理性,初步探讨了应用参与式方法编制集体林经营方案的基本过程和主要内容,对应用参与式方法开展集体林经营方案编制工作提出了初步建议。     

Comparison of Social Benefits of Forest under Different Management Models: A Case Study of Close-to-Nature Forest Management in Harbin, China

Different forest management modes definitely create different results. A study of social benefits nurtured by scientific forest management had been conducted in 1998-2008 with Danqinghe Experiment Forest Farm, Zhuanshan Experiment Forest Farm and Shanhe Experiment Forest Farmtogether as the project area. The method that was centered on quantification and supplemented byqualification was employed to compare the social benefits of forests separately under the scientificmanagement model and the traditional man...     

参与式森林资源调查过程中的利益相关者分析方法

本文简要分析了参与式森林资源调查的主要内容,介绍了在参与式森林资源调查过程中开展利益相关者分析的特点和基本方法、步骤,即辨别利益相关者及其利益、分析利益相关者的重要性和影响、分析影响森林经营管理的利益相关者的假设条件.     

西南地区森林防火火源管理的对策措施

近年来,我国西南地区火灾频发,多由人为火源引起。本文分析了造成西南地区林火频发的主要原因;指出火源管理存在的4个主要问题,并提出了解决问题的主要对策措施。     

参与式资源评估在中欧天然林管理项目社区发展中的应用

湖南省是我国实施中欧天然林管理项目三个项目省之一。文章介绍了参与式资源评估方法在中欧天然林管理项目社区发展方面的具体应用、操作过程,并提出在规划规程中需要注意(讨论)的问题。     

Forest Grabbing Through Forest Concession Practices: The Case of Guyana

Colonial governments asserted sovereignty and property rights gradually over the territory of Guyana, disregarding preexisting Indigenous Rights. Although a Forest Department modeled on the Indian Forest Service was established, there was no equivalent settlement process to determine the rights of forest peoples. State Forest area is declared by administrative fiat. These two elements have enabled State-endorsed forestland grabbing. Logging was scattered and selective until the early 1980s. A neoliberal economic program from the 1980s has allowed Asian companies to gain control over at least 80% of large-scale forestry concessions, equivalent to one-third of the 15.8 million hectares (Mha) of State-administered public forests. The relative success of the Asian companies can be understood in terms of available capital, willingness to invest, knowledge of markets, and willingness to corrupt. The relative failure of the preexisting Guyanese-owned businesses can be understood in terms of lack of capital, inability to save and unwillingness to invest, lack of knowledge of marketing, and lack of cooperation within the sector. Some conclusions from the Guyana story are relevant to other countries related to resource-hungry transnational enterprises.     

Institutional Challenges in Sustainable Forest Management: Evidence from the Gambella Regional State of Western Ethiopia

This article explores the ambiguity over property rights to forest resources in the Mejengir Zone of Gambella Regional State in western Ethiopia. Household surveys and focus group discussions were used as data collection tools. Results indicate that the complexities in forest management are mainly attributable to diversity in livelihoods as well as users’ heterogeneity in perceptions and actions. Ambiguity was created both through the process of decentralization in forest management and the demarcation of regional forest priority areas without public participation. The weakness of the state in undertaking effective supervision to overcome corruption has also exacerbated this problem. A lack of well-defined property rights has resulted in deforestation and loss of biodiversity, and unclear property rights, reflecting an ineffective local forest governance structure. The resulting behavioral uncertainty among users puts pressure on forest resources, which favors the conversion of forests into other land use models. State development programs were also found to be sources of ambiguity over property rights and thereby created challenges for collective forest management. Therefore, local institutional structures should be improved to help accommodate more traditional systems of forest management and to ensure sustainability in forest management practices.     

松桃县林农股份合作制营林案例

为解决林地权属关系造成的森林管护矛盾,特别是森林被无情偷砍盗伐,民族社区结合市场运作规律,结合传统乡土知识中的村规民约,让社区充分参与林地管理,采用林农股份合作制,将企业、村寨领袖、村民有机组织起来,有效地管护森林.     

Attitudes Towards Biodiversity Conservation of Forests Dwellers and Encroachers: A Case Study of Assam in Northeast India

By enacting the Forest Rights Act 2006, the Government of India aimed to protect the rights of the forest dwellers; at the same time, it sought to involve the forest dwellers in protecting the forests. But the forest dwellers are critical of this Act, on the ground that it does not consider tribal customary laws, which are essential to protect both the forests and the rights of the forest dwellers. This paper examines the perceptions and attitudes of the dwellers of village forest and encroachers towards biodiversity conservation under the rights enshrined in the Forest Rights Act 2006. A survey was conducted in190 households in four village forests and two encroached villages under reserved forests of Sonitpur and Golaghat districts of Assam in Northeast India. The majority of the respondents were found to have positive attitudes towards environmental issues in general and protection of biodiversity loss in particular. Village-type, residents’ occupation, caste, source of fuel for cooking, educational qualifications and size of land holding were found to be significantly associated with attitudes towards biodiversity conservation. It is concluded that conducting an environmental education program and rights-holders’ monitoring system on the impact of their use of forest resources will support conservation of biodiversity.