Abstract
Participatory forestry has been recognized as a tool for improving tropical forest management. The current study assessed the impacts of participatory forest management (PFM) on the structure and regeneration of a mangrove forest at Gazi Bay, Kenya. Data were collected along belt transects perpendicular to the waterline in both co-managed and state-managed mangrove forests. Basal area and standing density were significantly higher in the co-managed mangrove forests (16 m2/ha and 4 341 tree/ha) as compared to the state forests (eastern block 10.3 m2/ha and 2 673 trees/ha; western block 6.2 m2/ha and 2 436 trees/ha). There were significantly higher (p = 0.0068) densities of merchantable poles in community-managed as compared to state-managed forests. Natural regeneration patterns in community-managed and state-managed forests were deemed adequate to support the recovery of both forests. The results demonstrate that community participation contributes to improved management of mangrove forests and is in agreement with the principles of sustainable forest management.
Highlights
Mangrove forests worldwide are highly valued for their social, ecological and environmental roles
Despite evidence that the participatory forestry can improve forest conditions (Umemiya et al 2010), to our knowledge there are no empirical studies linking participatory forest management (PFM) with improved mangrove management in Kenya as the majority of such studies have focussed on terrestrial forests (Mogoi et al 2012; Chomba et al 2015; Mutune and Lund 2016; Mutune et al 2017)
The current study aims to contribute to the understanding of how community participation impacts on structural development of mangrove forests in Kenya
Summary
Mangrove forests worldwide are highly valued for their social, ecological and environmental roles. Since the 1970s, there have been discernible shifts in forest management in tropical countries from a topdown to an ostensibly more inclusive participatory forest management (PFM) regimes (Arts et al 2016). The shift towards participatory forestry is based on the assumption that involvement of local community would provide incentives for sustainable forest management, enhanced livelihoods through increased social and financial benefits and reduced levels of deforestation (Tadesse et al 2016; Kairu et al 2017). In Ethiopia, for instance, improved forest structure and development was observed in community managed forests as compared to those managed by the state (Tadesse et al 2016). A comparative study on the impacts of community rights on forest cover in Bolivia and Peru revealed that under PFM, forest structure exhibited more stable conditions (Wright et al 2016). Positive impact of PFM have been associated with the extent to which community enjoys the rights to forest resources (Schlager and Ostrom 1992; Larson and Dahal 2012) and possible benefits that community was deriving from the forests (Matiku et al 2013; Mutune and Lund 2016)
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