Can Recognition and Respect of Forest Resource Rights save Echuya Central Forest Reserve? A Precursor for Appropriate Collaborative Forest Management
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Date
2022-07
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Biodiversity Management & Forestry
Abstract
Recognition and respect for tenure and forest resource rights
has for long been considered essential for policy makers to
promote forest conservation. Several initiatives have indeed
been undertaken to promote recognition and respect for such
rights. One such initiative was the introduction of Collaborative
Forest Management (CFM) in Echuya Central Forest Reserve
(ECFR) in Southwestern Uganda in 2007. The objective of this
paper is to assess the role of recognition and respect for tenure
rights in CFM for conservation of Echuya. This study used
cross sectional and explanatory designs. Purposive and simple
random sampling techniques were used to select respondents
from local community members, District and local council
leaders, National forestry authority officials and conservation
organisations. These provided data which was collected using
household surveys, focus group discussions and key informant
interviews. Results showed that recognition and respect for
tenure and forest resource rights significantly influence forest
conservation (P-value ≤ 0.05). However, poverty compels local
community members to violate CFM agreements and forest
policy restrictions and stealthy harvest forest resources to meet
their household demands. It is therefore concluded that
livelihood support among forest adjacent communities is critical
in fostering recognition and respect for forest and tenure rights
for conservation of Echuya. At the same time, it is essential to
enforce stringent punitive measures on community members
and government officials who degrade the forest reserve.
Description
Can Recognition and Respect of Forest Resource Rights save Echuya Forest Reserve? A Precursor for Appropriate Collaborative Forest Management
Keywords
Tenure rights, Forest resource rights, Collaborative forest management, Conservation, Unauthorized resource access, Governance
Citation
10.4172/2327-4417.1000029