forest governance

Zimbabwe - Communicating forest governance for children in developing countries

rprueller — Wed, 06 Dec 2017 13:42:01 +0000

Zimbabwe - Communicating forest governance for children in developing countries

As we grapple with the scourge of climate change, world-wide forest destruction, plunder and droughts, our forests in the developing world are also not being spared. It is now time to have a paradigm shift and focus our attention more in capacitating and empowering our children for sustainable forest governance techniques, necessary for the future protection of the forests and trees in order to sustain their lives. (News date 27/11/2017)

rprueller Wed, 12/06/2017 - 07:42

Contact info

https://www.newsday.co.zw/2017/11/communicating-forest-governance-children-developing-countries/

Forests and Forest-based Products for a Greener Future forest governance / Zimbabwe

Fractured tenure, unaccountable authority and benefit capture: constraints to community benefit under climate change

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 07:03:26 +0000

Fractured tenure, unaccountable authority and benefit capture: constraints to community benefit under climate change

Description

The debate on climate change and ecosystem services has grown substantially over the past two decades. The post-Kyoto protocol period particularly has witnessed increased formulation of financial mechanisms to compensate for green efforts towards carbon sequestration and reduction in deforestation. In most cases, communities substantially depend on forests for their livelihoods or their actions have a direct bearing on the sustainability of the forests. Will the economic incentives from emerging initiatives offer new sources of income to support rural livelihoods and reduce poverty? There is ome doubt about this potential, because there is enormous evidence across the world to show that forest exploitation and use has not substantially benefited local people and Ghana is no exception. This paper draws on existing evidence in Ghana to show that the lack of secure community tenure rights and the dominance of unaccountable authority - which leads to benefit capture by local elites - are critical constraints to equitable forest benefit sharing. Building on the evidence, this paper argues that unless these issues are addressed in policy and practive, the potential economic benefits from the various emerging mechanisms under climate change and ecosystem services may not benefit local people; they may even reinforce the gap between the rich and the poor.

Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/16/2012 - 02:03

Attachment	Size
marfo et al.pdf	373.84 KB

Forests and Forest-based Products for a Greener Future / Forests and Climate Change forest tenure / forest governance / climate changes / benefit sharing / accountability

The democracy effects of collaborative forest governance in Ghana: lessons for REDD

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:25:03 +0000

The democracy effects of collaborative forest governance in Ghana: lessons for REDD

This is part of a regional forest governance research programme, being implemented by CODESRIA, University of Illinois and IUCN titled 'Responsive Forest Governance Initiative'. in Ghana, the research is broadly investigating issues of democratic representation, citizenship and public domain as elements of democracy focusing on the extent to which collaborative forest management and participatory decision-making approaches produce democracy outcomes among rural communities.

Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 06/27/2012 - 04:25

Responsible party

CSIR Forestry Research Institute of Ghana

Funding bodies

Swedish International Development Agency

Forests and Forest-based Products for a Greener Future redd / ghana / forest governance / democratic representation

The impact of tree tenure and access on chainsaw milling in Ghana

sbritwum — Mon, 30 May 2011 18:18:44 +0000

The impact of tree tenure and access on chainsaw milling in Ghana

Description

Chainsaw milling in Ghana has been banned and criminalized since 1998. However, the implementation of the ban has been very difficult and largely unsuccessful. One of the several reasons that have been identified to explain the continuation and expansion of the activity is the lack of clarity over forest and tree tenure, particularly tenure of trees on farms. This has resulted in strong support of some local communities for ‘illegal’ chainsaw operations. Even though forest and tree tenure and access rights have been identified as contributing to ‘illegal’ chainsawing, the connection between tenure and ‘illegal’ chainsawing has not been systematically assessed. The paper presents results from a study that sought to understand the extent to which tree tenure and access impact or influence chainsaw milling. Results of the study indicate that community resentment of the current system of timber tree tenure is a factor that facilitates the acceptance of chainsaw operators in the communities they operate. Indeed, the farmer plays an important role in facilitating access to timber trees by ‘illegal’ chainsaw operators. Enforcement of the ban on chainsaw lumber production and sale and the restrictive forest and tree tenure arrangement in Ghana are major factors that limit the accessibility of chainsaw operators to timber trees. The paper contends that forest management systems, which are deliberately designed to sustain and develop the value of forests for people living near them, will gain support for long-term, sustainable management. This will require security of access to forest resources, local incentives to protect the forest and its timber resources and the involvement of local communities in forest management.

sbritwum Mon, 05/30/2011 - 13:18

Responsible party

Forestry Research Institute of Ghana

Funding bodies

European Union

Attachment	Size
tree_tenure.pdf	213.69 KB

Forests and Forest-based Products for a Greener Future / Forests and Climate Change chainsaw milling / forest governance / forest and tree tenure / access rights / livelihoods

Socio-economic contribution of illegal chainsaw milling to the Ghanaian rural economy

sbritwum — Mon, 30 May 2011 18:05:34 +0000

Socio-economic contribution of illegal chainsaw milling to the Ghanaian rural economy

Description

The search for viable alternatives to illegal chainsaw milling in Ghana requires an understanding of the anthropogenic factors in the rural economy that promotes the practice. This paper investigated the
benefits of the practice to the rural economy of Ghana. Data was obtained from survey conducted on 102 chainsaw lumber stakeholders using questionnaire across 8 forest districts in southern Ghana and analyzed descriptively. Results showed that the practice contributes to the provision of employment, Community infrastructure among others. More than 50% of chainsaw operators earned up to 97% of their household income from the practice, and thus considered it as the best alternative to agricultural income. Farmers, land owners and traditional authorities received eight categories of informal payments from chainsaw operations. These included payments from sale of trees, commission on trees scouted for logging and compensation for crop damages on farmlands during logging. Also, taxes were paid at community barriers to enable passage of processed lumber to the market. Illegal chainsaw milling was found to be lucrative. This coupled with operators conniving with rural communities and the limited supply of sawmill lumber to the domestic market poses major challenges to eliminating the practice. To minimize the chainsaw menace to curtail revenue loss to the state, sustain livelihoods and forest resources, there is need to provide fiscal incentives to encourage regular mills to supply adequate lumber to the domestic market. Rural youth must be supported to establish commercial short rotation timber and fuelwood plantations. Also, equitable distribution of tree benefits to resource owners especially farmers must be ensured.

sbritwum Mon, 05/30/2011 - 13:05

Responsible party

Forestry Research Institute of Ghana

Attachment	Size
illegal_milling.pdf	1.38 MB

Forests and Forest-based Products for a Greener Future / Forests and Climate Change forest crimes / illegal logging / forest governance / ghana domestic timber market / inequitable benefit sharing

Socio-political constraints to the enforcement of forest laws: a case study of chainsaw operations in Ghana

sbritwum — Mon, 30 May 2011 17:54:47 +0000

Socio-political constraints to the enforcement of forest laws: a case study of chainsaw operations in Ghana

Description

Forest law enforcement is difficult in weak nations like Ghana in the face of conflicting interests and competing claims to forest resources. One area of interest in Ghana is the enforcement of a ban on chainsaw operation. Since 1998, chainsaw milling is legally prohibited in Ghana. However, today, there is enormous evidence to show that the practice is on the increase, exploiting about 2.5 million cubic meters of trees annually and employing about 100,000 people. This high level of illegality presents a big challenge to implementation of Ghana’s Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the European Union (EU) and also to Ghana’s REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation)-plus agenda. The paper explores the socio-political constraints facing law enforcement agencies in enforcing the ban. It observes that high levels of rural unemployment, corruption among law enforcement agencies including the Forest Services Division (FSD) and the police, low political motivation and high elite influence in the forestry sector are some of the socio-political factors constraining effective enforcement. Notwithstanding, the practice seems to be well accepted and more than half of forestry officials at the operational level feel that the ban should be reviewed.

sbritwum Mon, 05/30/2011 - 12:54

Responsible party

Forestry Research Institute of Ghana

Funding bodies

European Union

Attachment	Size
forest_laws.pdf	1017.53 KB

Forests and Forest-based Products for a Greener Future / Forests and Climate Change forest governance / corruption / law enforcement / chainsaw milling / ghana