Governance Of Forest Resources Research Articles

Difference in dependence on forest resources between first generation migrants and their descendants in southern Shan State, Myanmar

Forest resources have the potential to act as a safety net for those who live in or migrate to rural areas. The aim of this study was to assess the difference in dependence on forest resources between first generation migrants and their descendants in a village in the southern Shan State of Myanmar that includes different ethnic groups and has experienced population growth. Their perceptions of collective action for sustainable forest resource management were also analyzed. Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews with households, interviews with key informants, and focus group discussions. The first generation had a greater diversity of income sources than the second generation; in addition, households that earned income from non-timber forest products (NTFPs) were found to have a lower total annual income than those that did not, across the generations. This result demonstrates the function of NTFPs as a safety net for rural migrants whose livelihood is dependent on forest resources. Furthermore, participation by first and second generation migrants in collective action for sustainable forest resource management was found to be low. Rather, the heterogeneity of villagers should be taken into consideration by policy makers and implementing agencies for sustainable forest resource governance.

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.

Institutional frame works and effective governance of forest resources in India

Institutional frame works and effective governance of forest resources in India

Forest use strategies and their determinants among rural households in the Miombo woodlands of the Copperbelt Province, Zambia

Forest landscapes in tropical and subtropical areas support the livelihoods of their inhabitants through subsistence use of products, and cash income obtained from the sale of products. Despite its contribution to livelihoods, it remains unclear how forest products play a role in forest use strategies and what affects different forest use strategies, particularly in rural tropical Africa. A better understanding of forest-based livelihood strategies could be an important basis for the design of sustainable development policies. In this study, we use cluster analysis to identify forest use strategies and apply multinomial logistic regression to determine the factors affecting forest use strategy choices using data from 412 households in four sites in the rural Copperbelt province.Results reveal three strategic forest use choices undertaken by households: specialised charcoal sellers (32.3%), forest food and charcoal sellers (18.2%) and pure subsistence-orientated forest users (49.5%). Forest income varied strongly among forest use strategies; specialised charcoal sellers and forest food and charcoal sellers were the most remunerative strategies. We observed higher per capita extraction of firewood and charcoal produced in restricted landscapes compared to non-restricted landscapes. Distances to exclusively owned forestlands, access to permanent roads, restrictions on public forestlands and off-farm incomes were found to determine access to more lucrative forest use strategies. Alternatively, households with relatively older heads and larger sizes are associated with lower income (subsistence) strategies.The results suggest the need for the efficient enforcement of restriction regimes, but also the benefit of understanding forest resource governance. Charcoal production is a more remunerative forest use strategy for rural households and a relatively resource-intensive yet important component of the rural economy. In order to ensure sustainable production, the demand for charcoal should be compatible with Miombo's production capacity. Sustainable production can be achieved by introducing reforestation or coppicing systems that are consistent with the growing demands of Miombo.

Trust and deforestation: A cross-country comparison

Successful governance of forest resources has a political, economic, and social dimension. We operationalize the social dimension of forest governance as trust. After theoretically linking trust and the use forest resources, we present a cross-country comparison of the rates of deforestation. The analysis finds a robust association between trust and deforestation while controlling for other theoretically relevant factors governing forest use, including democracy and economic development. Our results further illustrate how social capital, in this case trust, explains how well society manages its common-pool resources. Since trust arises within voluntary associations and through participation in collective action, one of the policy implications is for national and subnational governments to enable and encourage the formation of groups devoted to forest governance, as well increasing opportunities to participate in shared governance of forests.

A review of the role of institutions in participatory forest management in Tanzania

Tanzania is among the first African countries to formally recognise the role of communities in the governance of forest resources. Some pilot activities were carried out in the early 1990s in the forests of Duru-Haitemba, Migori and Suledo that resulted in the forest policy and legislation to support participatory forest management (PFM). The local communities are involved in joint forest management (JFM) and community-based forest management (CBFM). This paper attempts to assess the performance of the PFM institutions in Tanzania in terms of its goals of improving the livelihood of local people, environmental and forest conditions and governance. The term 'institution' implies the set of rights, rules and processes of decision making in governing the use and management of forests. The study revealed that despite the potential of PFM in improving forest resources and livelihoods of forest communities in Tanzania, there are limitations in the existing practices and institutional arrangements.

Community-based forestry and the functions of institutions: a case study of Fung Shui forests in Hong Kong

Fung Shui forests, also called Fengshui forests, manifest community-based forestry and are forest patches cultivated by Chinese Hakka villages based on traditional geomancy. Local communities have formulated collective rules for protecting such forests, which were considered to represent informal institutions at the local level. Their roles were contrasted with those of the government, which were considered to represent formal institutions at the societal level. Case studies were conducted on Tai Om and She Shan Tsuen in Hong Kong, with the objective of revealing the roles of formal and informal institutions in forest resource governance in Hong Kong. As revealed by the findings, (1) the roles of communities have declined, (2) the government's management mechanism is fragmented, and (3) a mismatch in expectations exists between communities and the government due to differences in management philosophy. Findings can serve as insights for studies on community-based natural resource management in a metropolitan context.

English

This paper presents findings of a study on the effectiveness of forest resource governance on the performance of the REDD+ project in the Masito-Ugalla ecosystem in Uvinza district, western Tanzania through transparency, accountability, participation and integrity. The study was conducted in Ilagala, Karago and Kirando villages with the objective of understanding the effects of forest resources governance on REDD+ project performance as well as examining the best ways of integrating forest resource governance with REDD+ projects. The methods used in the study included household interviews that used a structured questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather qualitative data from key informants. The findings revealed that despite the efforts undertaken by REDD+ initiative in Masito-Ugalla ecosystem, its performance was generally average. Such performance was due to the support rendered by JUWAMMA, the inter-village community based organization, to the REDD+ project activities in the area. Poor forest resources governance had, however, continued to hamper its performance. Minimal duration of operation of the REDD+ Project and dominance of politics in conservation matters were the major reasons for its poor performance. Embezzlement of funds by politicians and senior government officials also contributed to the bad performance of the project. Villagers were also seldom engaged in decision-making. Implementing accountability by setting standards would have improved forest resources governance in the study area. The study concludes that more transparent budgeting and public procurement is inevitable for achieving good REDD+ performance. REDD+ activities also need to be addressed openly, with legal measures being taken by responsible authorities against corruption'. Key words: Forest resources governance, REDD+ in Tanzania, REDD+ projects performance, Masito-Ugalla ecosystem.

Multi-level governance of forest resources (Editorial to the special feature – Part 2)

Multi-level governance of forest resources (Editorial to the special feature – Part 2)

Analysing forest resource governance in Africa: Proposition for an integrated policy network model

The aim of this paper is to present an integrated policy network model for analysing forest policy formulation and implementation in Africa. The model, which is based on a relational conceptualisation of power, addresses some of the main weaknesses of the existing policy network theory. To test the robustness of the model, it was applied to examine forest governance in Ghana. Based on the empirical findings, it was concluded that the integrated policy network model provides a useful framework for understanding the fluidity of power and informal exchanges that characterises forest policy formulation and implementation in Africa.

Multi-level governance of forest resources (Editorial to the special feature)

A major challenge for many researchers and practitioners relates to how to recognize and address cross-scale dynamics in space and over time in order to design and implement effective governance arrangements. This editorial provides an overview of the concept of multi-level governance (MLG). In particular we highlight definitional issues, why the concept matters as well as more practical concerns related to the processes and structure of multi-level governance. It is increasingly clear that multi-level governance of forest resources involves complex interactions of state, private and civil society actors at various levels, and institutions linking higher levels of social and political organization. Local communities are increasingly connected to global networks and influences. This creates new opportunities to learn and address problems but may also introduce new pressures and risks. We conclude by stressing the need for a much complex approach to the varieties of MLG to better understand how policies work as instruments of governance and to organize communities within systems of power and authority.

Multi-level governance of forest resources (Editorial to the special feature)

A major challenge for many researchers and practitioners relates to how to recognize and address cross-scale dynamics in space and over time in order to design and implement effective governance arrangements. This editorial provides an overview of the concept of multi-level governance (MLG). In particular we highlight definitional issues, why the concept matters as well as more practical concerns related to the processes and structure of multi-level governance. It is increasingly clear that multi-level governance of forest resources involves complex interactions of state, private and civil society actors at various levels, and institutions linking higher levels of social and political organization. Local communities are increasingly connected to global networks and influences. This creates new opportunities to learn and address problems but may also introduce new pressures and risks. We conclude by stressing the need for a much complex approach to the varieties of MLG to better understand how policies work as instruments of governance and to organize communities within systems of power and authority.

Decentralization and forest-related conflicts in Latin America

Forestry decentralization and devolution reforms involve the transfer of rights, resources and responsibilities related to the governance of forest resources. One of the consequences of these reforms is a reconfiguration of the patterns of interactions between multiple governance actors, which may create friction as actors with different interests shift positions within the governance structure. These shifts may imply important differences with regards to access to power, information, and flows of benefits from forest resources. In this paper, we explore how forestry decentralization affects the propensity for forest-related conflict among forest governance actors. We draw on qualitative field research from the North Atlantic Autonomous Region of Nicaragua to develop a set of hypotheses about the effect of decentralization on conflict. We argue that decentralization generates conflict and that lack of transparency and accountability in reform processes further contributes to more conflict. We hypothesize that over time, under effective decentralization reforms, increases in both transparency and accountability will lead to a decline in conflict. We then test these hypotheses with empirical data from interviews with local governance actors in Bolivia and Peru, two countries with contrasting degrees of forestry sector decentralization. The quantitative analysis finds that there is no clear relationship between decentralization, transparency or accountability and the prevalence of conflict. These findings lead us to conclude that the prevalence of conflict alone is not a particularly instructive indicator of forest governance performance and suggest that future research should pursue a better understanding of how decentralization may alter the nature of conflicts.

Pushing the boundaries of conventional forest policy research: Analyzing institutional change at multiple levels

Neo-institutional contributions to the study of human–environment interactions have made tremendous headway within the last several decades. Although the different strands of institutionalism offer distinct ontological pathways for understanding the dynamics of change in social–ecological systems, none can independently account for the inherent complexity of such transformations. Using the struggle to achieve sustainable forest resource governance within the Canadian context as a backdrop for further investigation, this paper provides a succinct overview of the strengths and limitations of neo-institutional theories applicable to the study of change in public property regimes. We argue that in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of change, analysts require a meta-theoretical approach that not only provides complementary insights into how rules change over time, but also pushes the boundaries of conventional analysis to consider the constitutional arrangements that structure collective action and the subsequent performance of forest governance structures.

People, Governance and Forests—The Stumbling Blocks in Forest Governance Reform in Latin America

This article examines common barriers to achieving adequate levels of forest resource governance in countries of Latin America. It looks at the deficiencies of the policy and regulatory frameworks affecting forests, the common failure to impose the rule of law, the main factors that constrain the effectiveness of government actions in the forest sector and at the political barriers to introducing reforms for change in governance structures. The elimination of these barriers acquires new importance in the implementation of successful REDD+ programs in the countries of the region.

Social-ecological Resilience of a Nuosu Community-linked Watershed, Southwest Sichuan, China

Farmers of the Nuosu Yi ethnic group in the Upper Baiwu watershed report reductions in the availability of local forest resources. A team of interdisciplinary scientists worked in partnership with this community to assess the type and extent of social-ecological change in the watershed and to identify key drivers of those changes. Here, we combine a framework for institutional analysis with resilience concepts to assess system dynamics and interactions among resource users, resources, and institutions over the past century. The current state of this system reflects a legacy of past responses to institutional disturbances initiated at the larger, national system scale. Beginning with the Communist Revolution in 1957 and continuing through the next two decades, centralized forest regulations imposed a mismatch between the scale of management and the scale of the ecological processes being managed. A newly implemented forest property rights policy is shifting greater control over the management of forest resources to individuals in rural communities. Collective forest users will be allowed to manage commodity forests for profit through the transfer of long-term leases to private contractors. Villagers are seeking guidance on how to develop sustainable and resilient forest management practices under the new policy, a responsibility returned to them after half a century and with less abundant and fewer natural resources, a larger and aggregated population, and greater influence from external forces. We assess the watershed’s current state in light of the past and identify future opportunities to strengthen local institutions for governance of forest resources.

From union to union: forest governance in a post-soviet political system

Abstract This paper explores policy choices made in the governance of forest resources in Lithuania during the period of 1990–2005. The present system of governance of forest resources in Lithuania is compared with a theoretical framework for good governance. In addition, the reforms in the governance model in Lithuania are placed in the context of forest governance in other countries of the region. The results of the study indicate that Lithuanian forestry has evolved from hierarchical and extreme state interventionist governance to relatively transparent and accountable governance that respects private ownership, is sensitive to the public needs and interests as well as demand and supply in the market. The results of our work have indicated that the privatization has served as the main impetus for change. On a larger scale, the reforms of the forest sector in the three Baltic States seem to have progressed in a more similar manner than compared to those in Poland, Russia, and Ukraine.

INFORMATION USE AND ABUSE IN THE LOCAL GOVERNANCE OF COMMON-POOL FOREST RESOURCES

ABSTRACT Information can be used to control and to deceive but also to stimulate creativity and the ability to respond to new opportunities. The role of information is especially crucial in the local governance of common-pool forest resources because activities in this field involve a wide variety of actors in different roles, with different interests, and with varying levels of knowledge and skills. In situations of open communication this diversity of actors can be a strength in finding solutions to complex problems. However, the diverse actors often face difficulties communicating with each other and thus fail to capitalize on their diversity. Unless actors are able to develop effective communication, local governance of forest resources is not likely to be successful. Different strategies of finding, processing, and incorporating important information into community forestry decision making are presented and discussed in this article. Traditional, top-down project decision making often induces information-for-control rather than information-for-learning. Institutional analysis helps to identify sources of motivation (or lack thereof) for different actors to engage in community forestry learning activities. The right information, flowing to all major actors and being used for decision making, can make a difference in the success of community forestry activities.

Civil Society, Environmental Security and Knowledge: Forest Governance in Thailand and the Philippines in the Context of ASEAN

In the domain of environmental security, it appears that a strong civil society, one with strong social ingenuity and social capital, is a necessary condition not only for environmental security, but also for regional security in general. This paper will argue that in the context of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), much can be learned from the empirical experiences of Thailand and the Philippines that have established records of accomplishment in civil society participation in forest governance. Also discussed is the possible role of epistemic communities both within these countries as well as across countries in the ASEAN in harnessing institutions of knowledge to influence domestic and regional governance of forest resources.

What Motivates Municipal Governments? Uncovering the Institutional Incentives for Municipal Governance of Forest Resources in Bolivia

Several international treaties point to the advantages of a decentralized government structure for addressing environmental problems. Yet, little is known about the effects of decentralization reform on the conditions for local governance of natural resources. Even less is known about decentralization's effect on the condition of natural resources. This article raises concerns about the decentralization panacea and how it obscures a realistic assessment of municipal governments' role in decentralized natural resource management. The empirical analysis, based on field research in Bolivia's forestry sector, tests and discusses some of the conditions that are believed to be conducive to good decentralized governance of forest resources in developing countries. Specifically, the article examines what factors motivate Bolivian municipal governments to engage in forestry sector problem solving. Three institutional incentives appear to explain why municipalities in the Bolivian Lowlands would decide to invest in forestry, but these incentives are either weak or missing in most municipalities.