Abstract
This paper explores Kambui Hills North Forest Reserve (KHNFR) community’s participation in forest management and sustainability in Kenema District as a case study. Crucial issues examined were the forest reserve management strategies used by forest communities, participation of stakeholders in forest sustainability and livelihood activities of forest communities in the KHNFR. For sampling technique, six (6) forest communities were randomly sampled. From the sampled communities, forty two (42) respondents were sampled from the study communities. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the field and focus group discussion guide. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that there was a Core Forest Management Plan operated by the communities and stakeholders but the District Forest Office (DFO) does not follow its prescriptions strictly. It also indicated that the involvement of forest communities in the management of KHNFR was very small and low income generating livelihood activities. It was therefore recommended that forest communities in the KHNFR should be provided with alternative livelihood sources so as to empower them play the role of co-managers of the forest reserve.
Highlights
SMART MOVES JOURNAL IJELLH alternative livelihood sources so as to empower them play the role of co-managers of the forest reserve
The alarming rate at which deforestation and land degradation mainly in forest reserves coupled with land grabbing and weak forest governance are threatening the forest ecosystem and its resources is exposed to various risks
To address these challenges in the forest communities, sustainable forest reserve management is key in responding to the challenges
Summary
Respondents were further asked whether they were involved in any income generating (IGAs) in the selected communities; twenty-six of the respondents representing 62% strongly agreed and five of them representing 12% agreed forming majority of them accepting the fact that they were involved in IGAs in their communities This high response came up because the respondents claimed that they were part of the community group members who engage themselves in some Income Generation Activities (IGAs) by UNDP/SECA and PAGE projects in one way or the other. What worsens the situation was the fact that the community facilitators for the various projects who acted as liaison between DFO, the UNDP/SECA, PAGE and the selected communities were laid off when the project came to an end This generated negative consequences among the respondents which led to the increase of illegal logging; gold mining and other forms of illegal activities in the KHNFR that were environmental unfriendly. DFO and empowerment of forest communities which is in line with Fomete (2001) who opines that there is a need for stronger legal institutions to entrench community groups’ roles in forest reserve management
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