Optimizing State Forest Institutions for Forest People: A Case Study on Social Sustainability from Tunisia

Ameni Hasnaoui,Max Krott

doi:10.3390/su11071954

Abstract

In Tunisia the livelihoods of nearly 750,000 “forest people” strongly depend on state forests. State forest institutions that manage more than 90% of forests have a special responsibility for the social sustainability of these people’s situation. Thus, it is important to evaluate the performance of these institutions, as such evaluations represent an option to help formulate sustainable development strategies for forest people. This study evaluates the performance of state forest institutions in regard to forest people based on a comprehensive three-layer model. The data were collected in 2016 and 2017 from documents, observations and interviews. The results partly supported the first hypothesis that “state forest institutions employ different market, non-market and political instruments to influence the use and the protection of forests”, with an exception for market instruments. The second hypothesis stating that “the outcomes of these instruments for forest people differ from those for the general forest sector” was supported by empirical evidence. The evaluation revealed practices in Tunisia that provide a basis for organizational reforms supporting forest people. Adapted technologies that fit the traditional know-how of forest people and a better representation are required. Furthermore, the strengthening of state forest institutions against the influence of foreign donors would contribute to elaborating a development strategy for forest people.

Highlights

In international literature, the term “forest people(s)” has often been used to describe local forest people [1], people living in forests and having customary rights [2], or local and indigenous communities [3,4]
This study evaluates the performance of state forest institutions in regard to forest people based on a comprehensive three-layer model
Given that the focus of this study is to evaluate the performance of state forest institutions regarding forest people, it will present insights into the two following categories of actors: Forest people and state forest institutions

Summary

Introduction

The term “forest people(s)” has often been used to describe local forest people [1], people living in forests and having customary rights [2], or local and indigenous communities [3,4]. While the translation from French is “forest people/population” (population forestière) Both terms are used to describe forest users (only subsistence use) living in forests as well as those living within a five-kilometer radius around forests [5,6]. Despite the stabilization of this situation, forest people were subject to a continuous and repressive forest policy regarding user rights, something that was inherited from the French colonists [11] Forest people expressed their hostility toward this coercive policy, which explains the development of many “illegal” activities of product exploitation and the difficulties in registering many state-owned forest areas [11]. Forest officers or rangers responsible for control and monitoring used to write fines only in case of “obvious” offenses This made sound and sustainable forest management impossible [11]. It should consider ecological sustainability and the rational use, protection and development of natural resources

Objectives

Results

Conclusion