Community Forest Associations Research Articles

Community perceptions on wildfires in Mount Kenya forest: implications for fire preparedness and community wildfire management

BackgroundNatural ecosystems provide beneficial goods and services to adjacent communities. However, these benefits also come with societal risks, among them wildfires. Kenyan ecosystems have faced increased wildfire risk due to human activities and a warming earth that causes dangerous fire weather conditions. Mount Kenya is one such ecosystem that experiences annual fires; however, there is limited information on the level of knowledge or preparedness of the local community towards wildfires and fire management across the entire ecosystem. Here, we used questionnaires and interviews to randomly and purposively survey 55 respondents across 11 villages that surround Mt Kenya forest, majority of whom were Community Forest Association (CFA) members. We investigated the perceived extent to which the communities contribute to wildfires; their opinions on some aspects of fire management; and what individual and collective actions are required to improve fire preparedness.ResultsThe most perceived causes of wildfires were honey harvesting (56%) and poaching (40%). A minority of the respondents (35%) were aware of the belief that setting forests on fire brings about rainfall, with 56% of that group reporting that the belief contributed to wildfire ignitions by a large extent. This scientifically inconclusive belief was not specific to certain tribes around Mt Kenya, as previously expected. The community strongly rejected the use of prescribed burning in fire management. They were against clearing of forest or farm debris to reduce fuel hazards, and preferred converting debris into compost.ConclusionsTo improve fire preparedness, firefighting training, resourcing, firebreak creation, and sharing of wildfire warnings with the local community need to be enhanced. Despite limited community involvement in fire-management decisions, we recommend a greater involvement of the local community in forest and/or fire management to promote ownership and sustainability.

Logging moratorium in Kenya and its impacts on Community Forests Associations:

The Forest Sector is Key to Kenya’s social and economic well-being since most of the financial activities rely on environmental-based resources for their sustenance. The Forest Conservation and Management Act, of 2016, provides for the conservation and management of public, community, and private forests. This has brought a paradigm shift in forest management from central command to involving various stakeholders. Adequate stakeholders' engagement in the direction of forest resources, results in minimal conflicts. Local involvement promotes a sense of ownership to the Forest Adjacent Communities Consequently, reducing conflicts in the management of the forest resources. This dissertation focuses on the impacts of logging moratorium on Community Forest Associations in our state forests, with a focus of two CFAs in Meru County. It uses both quantitative and qualitative research design. An in-depth literature review was, used to enrich the research findings. Data was collected from 289 Mucheene and Ruthumbi CFA residents. Their views on the impacts of logging moratorium to the CFA were also documented. The study found out that forest conservation cannot be delinked from livelihood improvement by the Forest Adjacent Communities. There lie difficulties for the area population of the study area to support their life demands with the moratorium in place owing to the fact that they highly depended on the forest to support their livelihoods pre-moratorium. The study found that 93.4 % of the respondents believe that legal logging promotes job creation in the sawmill value chain circular economy. Findings are expected, to inform policy on forest conservation in collaboration with the FAC. The study recommends that the Government should adopt a regulation mechanism that safeguards logging in the extension forest of the community whenever there is an ongoing logging moratorium in the public forest. Communities, Forests, Logging, Moratorium, Livelihoods, Stakeholders engagement.

Improving the role of communities in participatory forest management through artificial intelligence: the case of Nairobi city park community forest association

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into participatory forest management (PFM) is emerging as a promising strategy for promoting sustainable forest management in developing countries. Using a case study approach from Kenya involving 85 respondents from the Nairobi City Park Community Forest Association, this study explored the potential for AI implementation in PFM to improve community roles in data acquisition and management. The study results show that the current data management system for executing community roles in PFM is inefficient, time-consuming, and susceptible to errors. However, there are substantial gains and opportunities in implementing community roles through AI. AI utilization could be fostered through the existing Information Communication Technology (ICT) resources such as smartphones for efficient and transparent data processes. Notably, 90% of respondents express confidence in AI’s potential to enhance PFM efficiency. Despite this optimism, 67.1% emphasize the necessity of a comprehensive AI policy that emphasizes continuous community engagement and adaptation of AI to local contexts.

Comparative Analysis of Participatory Forest Management in Kenya: Embaringo and Gathiuru Community Forest Associations

Comparative Analysis of Participatory Forest Management in Kenya: Embaringo and Gathiuru Community Forest Associations

Community Forest Associations Boundaries and Sustainable Forest Management in Loita Forest, Narok County, Kenya

The Kenya Forest Act of 2005, subsequently revised in 2016, introduced the Kenya Forest Service and its mandate to engage in Participatory Forest Management (PFM) agreements with local communities adjoining state forests. This framework necessitated the establishment of Community Forest Associations (CFAs) nationwide, including the Loita Community Forest Association. However, a prevailing concern surrounding CFAs is the delineation and redefinition of boundaries, an issue that has gained prominence due to Kenya's decentralized forest governance system and the ambiguity surrounding the management of locally-held common resources. This study centers on investigating the process of establishing boundaries for the CFAs both in forest resources and the users within Loita Forest in Narok County, Kenya. Notably, Loita forest operates under a Traditional Participatory Forest arrangement, controlled by community elders, led by the revered Oloibon, who steers the resource utilization decisions. The vast expanse of Loita forest encompasses both lush woodlands and savanna landscapes. Employing purposive sampling, the study engaged 52 respondents from nine distinct Loita sub-locations. Key informants were interviewed individually, complemented with focus group discussions conducted with the use of semi-structured questions. Participant observation further enriched data collection, consolidating insights from key informants and group discussions. Collected data was meticulously tape-recorded and subjected to summative content analysis. The inquiry delved into the practicality of existing traditional resource-use boundaries, the adequacy of governmental regulations, policies, and institutions in elevating forest governance within Kenya, and the extent to which individual indigenous rights have been upheld in managing and using communal forest resources. Key findings of this study show that the Loita Maasai still values their traditional norms and have great respect for cultural institutions. Major decisions concerning the management of Loita forest are made by the council of elders led by the Chief Laibon. The study also found that there exists no CFA in Loita forest and that the presence of government institutions in the forest is minimal. This study's outcomes contribute to a nuanced understanding of the intricate interplay between indigenous wisdom, modern frameworks, and sustainable forest management. It underscores the indispensable role of tradition in shaping boundaries, governance, and ecological equilibrium within Loita forest and offers practical directives for future forest management endeavors.

Medicinal plants and their economic value in Kakamega Forest Ecosystem: A case study of sustainable land/forest project in Western Kenya

Forest Management of ecosystems plays a fundamental role in providing essential goods and services to rural communities. However, there has been a reduction in the natural forest cover due to resource utilization pressure. The pressure on forest resources is catalyzed by the expansion of markets for forest products, agricultural expansion and escalating poverty levels. An upsurge in the number of users of herbal medicine in urban and rural areas has increased the pressure on the forests, while modernization and change in lifestyle have led to the loss of traditional knowledge associated with medicinal plants utilization and conservation. No detailed economic evaluation of medicinal plants has been undertaken and the current illegal, unregulated and unreported exploitation of medicinal plants has led to overexploitation and loss of biodiversity. A better understanding of the abundance, distribution, uses and economic value of medicinal plants is important for the sustainable exploitation and conservation of forests. The study covered four forest blocks of Kakamega, North Nandi, South Nandi and Kibiri to determine plant species diversity, and their distribution in the disturbed and undisturbed areas of the forest; assess knowledge, utilization and economic estimate by willingness to-pay approach of medicinal plants to communities adjacent to the Kakamega Forest. Value chain analysis had been conducted for medicinal plants and forest user groups from Community Forest Association (CFA) had been trained in product development and access market were used in the study. Experimental Plot techniques were also used to gather ecological data on the frequency, density, diversity and distribution of the plants, whereas key informant interviews, focus group discussions and household interviews were utilized to gather information on ethnobotanical knowledge and household socioeconomic data. Thirty-two key species of medicinal plants were identified and used by local people around the Kakamega forest ecosystem. Forty-seven percent (47%) of these were trees, thirty four percent (34%) were shrubs, sixteen percent (16%) were herbs and climbers three percent (3%). Seventy percent (70%) of the medicinal plants were within the forest and thirty percent (30%) were outside the forest. The three most dominant families were Euphorbiaceae, Piperaceae and Fabaceae with leaves as the most common plant part used constituting 31 % (n=26) of the preparations, followed by roots with 20% (n=17),bark with 14% (n=14), fruits with 11 % (n=9), seeds having 11% (n=9), flowers 2% (n=2) and sap 2 % (n=3). The economic benefits generated from the medicinal plants within the forest ecosystem services in the Kakamega-Nandi landscape in terms of direct use value was about KES 601,918,256 (≈USD 5.19 million) per year, while indirect use value was KES 317,288,046 (≈USD 2.74 million) per year. Indigenous knowledge of the medicinal uses of the plants, their commercial aspects and distribution trends in the forest provision of wide scope for understanding relevant market systems may be tapped for decision support in rural health service planning, policy formulation for conserving the forest, tracking and mitigation of climate change impacts.

Unrelenting community encroachment and deforestation: the case of Maasai Mau Forest in Narok County, Kenya

Globally and more specifically in developing countries, forest covers are dwindling as a result of human encroachments and deforestation. This is regardless of the numerous forest conservation zlaws and policies in force. The overall study objective was to ascertain the forest conservation status of Maasai Mau Forest in Narok County, Kenya. The specific objectives were to establish the extent to which the relevant state agencies have succeeded in warding off encroachment and deforestation; in effecting reforestation and enlisting Community Forest Associations (CFASs) participation in their forest conservation activities. However, the study findings showed minimal success in the twin objectives since forest encroachments and deforestation continue unabated as evidenced by the rising number of forest-related crimes, illegal forest settlements and reported cases of deforestation. Evidently, existing legal enforcement mechanisms are ineffective. Available forest protection programmes and policies were found to be weak, inadequate and/or poorly coordinated. The practical conservation role of CFAs was equally found to be rather minimal. It is therefore, concluded that the objective of safeguarding the Maasai Mau Forest from human encroachment and deforestation remains a long shot. Hence, there is the need to strengthen the relevant legal framework, institutions, stakeholders, policies and programmes.

Gendered Sharing of Decision-making Powers, Responsibilities and Rights over Non-Timber Forest Resources in Cherangany Hills Forest, Kenya

Building on the Theory of Feminist Political Ecology (FPE), this paper examines the gendered sharing of intra-household decision-making powers, responsibilities, and rights over the exploitation of non-timber forest resources within Cherangany Hills Forest, Kenya. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted, semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 280 Community Forest Association (CFA) members (140 male and 140 female) that were randomly sampled, and in-depth interviews were conducted among 35 key respondents (20 CFA members, 7 CFA leaders, 2 village elders, 2 assistant chiefs, 2 forest guards, and 2 forest officers) that were purposively sampled. Quantitative data was analysed in the form of mean and standard deviation and presented in the form of percentages and graphs. This paper highlights that husbands and wives shared the decision-making powers over the use of forest land for crop farming to a ‘Great Extent’. There was substantial gendered sharing of intra-household decision-making over the use of forest land for livestock feeding. However, there was minimal gendered sharing of intra-household decision-making with regard to the collection of firewood, herbal plants, indigenous vegetables, and fruits from the forest as well as beekeeping within the forest. The husbands and wives shared the responsibilities and rights over crop farming to a ‘Great Extent’. There was substantial gendered sharing of responsibilities and rights over the collection of fodder and grazing of livestock and collection of herbal plants from the forest. But there was minimal gendered sharing of responsibilities and rights over the collection of firewood, beekeeping and honey harvesting, collection of wild vegetables and picking of indigenous fruits from the forest. There is a need to enlighten, encourage and support both men and women living adjacent to forested areas to understand forest rights, embrace on-farm forestry, and use forest resources sustainably

Impact of Poor Governance on Deforestation in Africa

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the world loses 18 million acres through deforestation each year. Africa is the only continent in the world where deforestation is on the increase threatening the continent’s scarce water resources, efforts by the region to combat climate change, and exacerbating the vulnerability of rural communities to poverty and effects of climate change. Deforestation over the decades has been blamed on poverty and burgeoning population increase. Demand for wood in Africa which is a source of energy could triple by 2050, straining the continents dwindling forest resources according to UN report. The study based on library research examines the extents to which poor governance and corruption which have been pervasive in Africa and have significantly contributed to the loss of the continent’s forest cover. Thirty published research papers were reviewed with the following objectives; i) analyse the extent of corruption in the forest sector, ii) to examine the extent to which corruption contributes to deforestation in Africa, iii) examine ways in which poor governance and weak institutional arrangements exacerbate corruption in the forest sector, iv) explore the extent to which corruption undermines the effectiveness of Community Forest Associations in combating deforestation in Africa, and v) explore opportunities and challenges of community forest association in combating corruption in the forest sector. The study further evaluated policy documents and frameworks previous researchers have employed to examine forest governance, compared to the emerging recent models of forest governance. From the previous research, it is apparent that corruption has the potential to decimate a nation’s forests. Few studies in Africa have however examined the extent of this phenomenon. There is an urgent need for such studies that provide further explanation on the extent to which corruption plays in the continuing loss of forest cover against the backdrop of all the reforms to improve the performance of the forestry sector. Keywords: community forest associations, deforestation, drivers, governance, corruption, institutions DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/80-04 Publication date: May 31 st 2022

Transparency and Community Participation in Forest Resource Governance in Mt. Elgon Region, Kenya

The practice of good forest governance has been associated with reductions in poverty and community empowerment. This study assessed how the implementation of transparency and participation promote forestry practices under the plantation establishment for livelihood improvement scheme (PELIS) in the Mt. Elgon region. A sample size of 288 members of the Community Forest Associations (CFAs) and forest station managers drawn from three forest stations namely Saboti, Kimothon and Kaberwa were selected for the study. Focused group discussions and interviews administered through respondent assisted questionnaires were carried out to assess how the implementation of transparency and participation affect participants in PELIS. Local indicator variables were developed to assess transparency and participation. Chi-square tests of independence (α = 0.05) were performed to examine the relationship between the local indicator variables among sites based on the hypotheses that there were no significant differences in the implementation of transparency and participation among the sites. The study found statistical significance in accessibility to necessary information and decisions (p = 0.001) and involvement in decision-making processes (p = 0.002). Electoral related vices, conflicts and minimal women representation in executive committees undermines CFAs governance. The findings of this study indicates that CFAs governance systems directly affect forest conditions. The study generates information to support the formulation of policies and laws that can strengthen governance systems to minimize developmental deficits among CFAs and enhance socio-economic stability. Improved governance of CFAs will contribute in implementing agroforestry programmes that promote sustainable forest management in Kenya.

SUSTAINABLE APPROACHES FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF DRYLAND FOREST AND THEIR BIODIVERSITY, A CASE OF KIJEGE FOREST, THARAKA NITHI COUNTY, KENYA

Community involvement is central in management and conservation of forests. Adjacent communities depend on these forests for livelihood and cultural values. Dryland forests are among the vital ecosystems in the environment and they face degradation due to undervaluation by surrounding communities even though they supply a range of important resources. This study aimed at determining sustainable approaches for community involvement in management and conservation of Kijege forest and its biodiversity. Specifically, the study determined the importance and values of Kijege forest to community, the role of community involvement in management, and sustainable approaches for community involvement in conservation and management of Kijege forests and its biodiversity. Interviews were conducted with the KFS officials, village elders, local community and other relevant leaders. The results revealed that, although 90% of the respondents depended on the forest for their livelihoods, especially for supply of wood fuel, and pasture during dry seasons, only 6.7% have ever, or are being involved in management of the forest. From the findings, it is clear that the level of involvement of community members is very low, hence the study outlines three key recommendations to improve community involvement including: formation of Community Forest Association, capacity building of the community members, and formulation of a Forest management plan to foresee the sustainable involvement of the formed CFAs for better conservation and management of Kijege Forest and its biodiversity.

Benefits of Participatory Forest Management to Community Forest Association Members in Upper Imenti Forest in Meru County, Kenya

Benefits of Participatory Forest Management to Community Forest Association Members in Upper Imenti Forest in Meru County, Kenya

Factors Determining Household Membership to Community Forest Association for Participation in Management of Upper Imenti Forest, Meru County, Kenya

Factors Determining Household Membership to Community Forest Association for Participation in Management of Upper Imenti Forest, Meru County, Kenya

Challenges, Opportunities and Sustainability of Community Forest Associations and Water Resource Users Associations: A case of Kilungu catchment, Kenya

Catchment degradation in the Kilungu catchment area in Kenya has persisted, albeit the presence of Kenze Community Forest Associations (CFAs) and Upper Kaiti Water Resources Users Associations (WRUAs) involvement. This study sought to assess the challenges faced by CFAs and WRUAs, available opportunities and sustainability in the management of the catchment, employing an exploratory, descriptive survey. Data was collected through household questionnaires, Focus Group Discussions (FGD), Key Informants’ Interviews (KII) and direct observations. The study established that Kenze CFA was facing major challenges at a rating of Very high (58%) and Highly (42%) as compared to Upper Kaiti WRUA at Very High (21%) and Highly (49), respectively. The Major challenges for the CFA being a non-functional CFA structure, while WRUAs challenges were minor on soft skills. Further, the challenges impacted highly on the outcomes of the CFA performance at a Very High (58%), Highly (42%) and WRUA Very High (21%) and Highly (49%), resulting in increased degradation of the catchment. In terms of opportunities, both institutions had various opportunities, although the WRUA had more opportunities at an affirmative Yes (99%) compared to CFA’s (54%). The key WRUA opportunity was that of being capacity build and empowered in order to ensure continuous efficient decision making and participatory management of the catchment, while the CFA had a supportive policy and law which presented a great opportunity of being enforced. Further, the WRUA respondents were more positive that the opportunities could improve the catchment at 38% (moderately), 42% (highly) and 20% (very high) compared to CFA’s 30% (moderately), 23% (highly) and 22% (very high). Results on Upper Kaiti WRUA and Kenze CFA respondent’s perceptions on sustainability revealed that both the WRUA and CFA were functioning well on aspects of equity and inclusiveness at WRUA rating of very highly (55 %), moderately (88%), and CFA very highly (25%), and moderately (50%). On accountability, WRUA had a rating of very highly (34%) and Moderate (88%), while the CFA was rated very highly (52%), and moderately (50%). In terms of WRUA and CFA effectiveness and efficiency, WRUA was rated very highly (36%), moderately (24) and CFA very highly (51%) and moderately (53%), respectively. Further results indicated that the WRUA highly involved its members in participatory decision making at moderately (88%) and highly (48%), compared to CFAs, who were rated at zero percent in the involvement of members in participatory decision making. On the observance of the rule of law, the WRUA were further rated highly (46%) and moderately (97%), while the CFAs were rated at zero percent. On consensus orientation, WRUAs were again rated highly (56%) and moderately (97%), while the CFAs were rated at zero percent. The study found that CFAs were facing more challenges, had fewer opportunities and various sustainability issues than the WRUAs, who were found to be having fewer challenges, had many opportunities and were significantly sustainable in all sustainability indicators. The implication of these results is that there is a critical need of addressing the challenges facing CFA and continually improve on the WRUA sustainability aspects as well as ensuring continuous empowerment of both institutions in order to overcome their myriad challenges, exploit their opportunities and ensure their sustainability. Further, there is a desperate need for a new and effective system for integrated Kilungu catchment management.

Effectiveness of community forest association and water resource users' associations in discharging their statutory functions: A case of Kilungu catchment, Kenya | JBES 2021

Effectiveness of community forest association and water resource users' associations in discharging their statutory functions: A case of Kilungu catchment, Kenya | JBES 2021

Effectiveness of community forest association and water resource users' associations in discharging their statutory functions: A case of Kilungu catchment, Kenya - JBES | INNSPUB

Effectiveness of community forest association and water resource users' associations in discharging their statutory functions: A case of Kilungu catchment, Kenya - JBES | INNSPUB

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

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.

English

Forest communities play a vital role in the conservation of forest resources. Understanding communities’ use, attitudes and perceptions of forests and management measures is significant in attaining conservation goals and reducing forest resource use conflicts. This study sought to assess local community’ forest resources use and their perception towards forest status, use and management. Data was collected through household surveys using semi-structured questionnaires, participant observation, Key Informant Interviews (KII), and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). A total of 112 respondents from three adjacent villages within 5 km from the forest boundary were randomly sampled for the household survey while descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Most (94.6%) of the households reported using products from forests. These products formed an integral part of the households’ energy needs, construction materials, medicine, income generation and daily dietary needs. Firewood was the most collected product from the forest (76.4%) whereas bush meat was the least (4.7%). There were mixed views on the forest management with more than half (54.5%) expressing dissatisfaction with the current management regime citing insecure land tenure system, inadequate integration of the community in forest management and corruption. There was perceived forest degradation due to illegal logging, illegal grazing, forest fires, climate change and encroachment for farming. For sustainable forest management practice therefore, there is a need for incorporating Indigenous knowledge (IK) in forest management plans and putting in place grievance address mechanisms to cater for the needs of local communities when designing forest policies and implementing forest restoration programs.   Key words: Cherang’any hills, Community Forest Association, non-timber forest products, indigenous knowledge, sustainable forest management, forest restoration.

An annotated checklist of the vascular flora of South and North Nandi Forests, Kenya.

We compiled a checklist of the flora of South and North Nandi forests based on literature, online databases, herbarium collections and floristic field surveys. A combination of general walk-over surveys and plotless landscape sampling for plant collection and sight observation was used. We recorded 628 plant species representing 118 families and 392 genera, which almost double the latest results of the previous most recent survey. We found 61 species of ferns and fern allies and 567 species of seed plants, representing 9.98% of the total plant species in Kenya. Herbs were the majority (50.2%) of life forms followed by shrubs (16.5%). We report unique populations of three species out of 19 species that are widespread in Africa, but restricted to Nandi and Kakamega Forests in Kenya. Four of the recorded species are threatened globally and 16 exotic plant species were found. The recent description of one new species and two new records for Kenya from these forests, together with the comprehensive checklist is of crucial importance to the conservation of these unique ecosystems. Our results are essential to forest managers, community forest associations, conservationists, students and research scientists in Kenya and globally for implementing critical decisions for the conservation of this vital biodiversity resource.

Effects of Leasehold on Community Forest Association Benefits in Dryland Resources Management: A Case Study of Kibwezi Forest in Kenya

Aims: The aim of this paper was to investigate whether community forest association (CFA) get benefits as they conserve dryland forest that is also fully leased.
 Study Design: The paper adapted descriptive survey design. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used.
 Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted between the year 2018 December and 2020 January in Kibwezi forest.
 Methodology: This study included 139 individuals who were issued with questionnaires (household survey) and 5 officials from forest department who were interviewed. 
 Results: The questionnaires response rate was 96% since 134 questionnaires out 139 were returned. The introduction of leasehold significantly reduced benefits community forest association used to get. There is no significant association between being a member of Community Forest Association and getting employment in dryland forest conservation sinceChi square results were; ?2 =3.953, df=3, P=.267.
 Conclusion: There is no special benefit the Community Forest Association gets from conservation of Kibwezi forest. For community to participate in forest management that have been leased there should be incentives. In fully leased forest, community forest members should jointly work with Kenya Forest Service as per the Participatory Forest Management. To get desired results of community forest participation in dryland, different actors should come up with innovative ways of conferring benefits to the Community Forest Association and compel the lessee to adhere to the legal requirement of continued access of benefits to the communities as it was before the lease.