Conservation Activities of Women in Nyangores Forest Station, Mau Conservancy, Kenya

Jared Bitange,Thomas Matonyei,Peter Sirmah

doi:10.37284/eajfa.3.1.288

Jared Bitange, Thomas Matonyei + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.37284/eajfa.3.1.288

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Abstract

Community-based forest management has increasingly gained popularity in many parts of developing countries. Although the roles of women in forest conservation, management and sustainable utilisation, as well as livelihood improvement, are of paramount importance, it is still scarce and unaddressed in new forest management approaches. Structured questionnaires were administered to 248 Nyangores community forest association members to capture the forest conservation activities of women, determine their role in community forest management and evaluate their socio-economic benefits. Results indicate tree seedling propagation (87.1%), monitoring and evaluation (M&E) (85.1%), and protection of regenerates (84.7%) as the major forest conservation activities. Minor roles included timber harvesting (22.9%), enrichment planting, silvicultural operations (12.9%), and firefighting (8.5%). Accrued socio-economic benefits as a result of women’s role in forest management and conservation were freshwater (95.6%) and firewood (94.8%). These results suggest the incorporation of both genders as a pre-requisite for the success of community forest conservation programs in Mau Conservancy, Kenya.

Highlights

Community-based forest management has increasingly gained popularity in many parts of developing countries
Accrued socio-economic benefits as a result of women’s role in forest management and conservation were freshwater (95.6%) and firewood (94.8%). These results suggest the incorporation of both genders as a pre-requisite for the success of community forest conservation programs in Mau Conservancy, Kenya
Adjacent communities in sustainable management. This particular Act has led to the development of Forests are valuable natural resource components of Participatory forest management (PFM), which any community, region or country in sub-Saharan involves a multi-stakeholder approach where the Africa and play a fundamental role in the socio- private sector, institutions and communities are economic well-being of those communities (Usman involved in management and sharing of benefits et al, 2016)

Summary

Introduction

Community-based forest management has increasingly gained popularity in many parts of developing countries. Structured questionnaires were administered to 248 Nyangores community forest association members to capture the forest conservation activities of women, determine their role in community forest management and evaluate their socio-economic benefits. Conservation Activities of Women in Nyangores Forest Station, Mau Conservancy, Kenya East African Journal of Forestry and Agroforestry, 3(1), 29-39.

Results

Conclusion