CHAPTER TWO 7 2.1 Introduction 7 2.2 Interpreting forestry within the sphere of development thinking 7 2.2.1 Traditional forestry: the forestry industry and macroeconomic thinking 8 2.3 The new perspective: the integration of multiple objectives and roles. CHAPTER SIX 163 6.1 Introduction 163 6.2 Key findings in relation to the objectives of the study 164 6.2.1 The socio-economic profile of the St Bernard community 164 6.2.2 The main uses of forest resources in the community 164 6.2.3 The challenges and limitations in access to forest resources 165 6.2.4 Forest conservation and management measures 166 6.2.5 Community participation in forestry matters 166 6.2.6 The impact of commercial plantations on local livelihoods 167 6.3 Recommendations 168 6.4 Conclusion 171.
Introduction
In this regard, this study intends to examine the conservation and management of forest resources and their impact on maintaining rural livelihoods.
Motivation for the study
The role of the natural forests on local livelihoods is also explored in this study. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the conservation and management of forest resources and their impact on the maintenance of rural livelihoods using the case study of the Saint Bernard community in Nhlazuka village in Richmond, KwaZulu-Natal .
Objectives
The Saint Bernard community is basically located in the land that was formerly under the ownership of the Saint Bernard Roman Catholic Mission [ - (Trench, 2003). Outside the boundaries of the household there are pastures, small plantations and an area of woodland (Trench, 2003, Trench, undated).
Chapter sequence
A common system for managing community resources such as trees and forests forms an integral part of decision-making in Saint Bernard. It is the native forest of the Saint Bernard community and the commercial plantations adjacent to it that made this case study appropriate for this research effort.
Conclusion
Introduction
Interpreting forestry within the ambit of development thinking
Traditional Forestry: The forest industry and macro-economic thought
However, in the late 1960s it became clear that the macroeconomic development model was not an effective approach to spreading the benefits of development evenly, especially to the social sector (Muraledharan, 2005; Hobley, 2005). With these shortcomings, it became clear that the development sectors that had followed the trends underpinned by the macroeconomic development model were often unable to deliver the results and therefore did not respond effectively to the other facets of development, especially the social aspects . sector.
The new perspective: the incorporation of multiple objectives and role I players in forestry
Forestry and rural development
Castren (2005) also argues that the role of the forest border-rural communities in forest management has received tremendous interest from researchers and policy makers in recent years, and in developing countries forestry experts have also increasingly focused their attention on the interaction. between communities and forests. On the one hand, however, the shift presents a challenge to foresters and policy makers who now have to adapt their old perception of forestry to accept the principles of the new approach.
The background to the link between people and forests: Some important issues
Community forestry
Initially, it was emphasized that community forestry should be an integral part of rural development (Arnold, 1992). Community forestry has emphasized the involvement of local people (Roberts and Roper, 2005); Therefore, from the outset it was seen as participatory and focused on rural needs (Brown, 2002).
Community forestry in practice
Another major concern with the failure of early projects is the lack of community participation. However, Arnold (1992) argues that the results of the projects portrayed a scenario that is contrary to the initial plans.
Participatory Development
What is Participation?
Therefore, it is increasingly becoming one of the common phrases in the debate on sustainable development. It is interesting to note that the focus of the above view on participation is reflected elsewhere in the literature.
Participatory Forestry: A new perspective in the link between people and forests
- The conservation movement
- Traditional conservation
- The 'new' conservation
- What is Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM)?
- Participatory forestry and community-based natural resource management
In this regard, participatory forestry is replacing traditional forestry activities that controlled and monitored natural resource management and limited public participation in forest management (Potters et al, 2002). Participatory forestry is one of the appropriate means to raise awareness, dynamize, monitor and realize the process of decentralization of natural resources management.
Participatory forestry and poverty alleviation
Sustainable rural livelihoods and forest resources
The sustainable rural livelihoods approach emerged from evolving thinking about what rural poverty really means (Allison and Horemans, 2006; Arnold, 2001; Farrington et al, 1999). The most commonly used definition of sustainable rural livelihoods is that originally developed by Chambers and Conway.
The Sustainable Rural Livelihood Framework
In contrast to traditional, narrow thinking about poverty and the basic needs of the poor, capital assets present a multidimensional view of poverty (Allison and Horemans, 2006). Given the brief description of the sustainable livelihoods framework above, it can perhaps be concluded that there is a direct link between SLA and the way in which contemporary forestry is conceived.
The contribution of forest resources on rural livelihoods
Direct-use value
- Non-timber forest products (NTFPs)
- Medicine
- Gathered foods
- Fuelwood
- Handicrafts
- Timber forest products
This is probably because most activities take place in the informal sector (Cunningham, 1993). More details on how to use the resources described in the above categories are explained below. Fuelwood appears to be a dominant energy source in many parts of the developing world, especially in Africa (Kaimowitz, 2003; Karekezi and Kithyoma, 2002).
The indirect values of forest resources
Participatory forestry in Africa is, for example, not only limited to natural forests, but has gone further to encourage community involvement in the management of commercially important forests such as industrial plantations (Alden Wily, 2002). Privatization procedures underway in South Africa have, for example, explicitly extended privatization to include local communities and not just companies (Mayers et al, 2001).
IThe Non-use value of forests
Such values are perhaps most evident among those who do not themselves live near forests or use the products of forests directly, and perhaps benefit only very little from indirect uses, but who nevertheless want to see such forests preserved in their own right. This description is further discussed by Lawes et al (2004) who cite tourism potential and the cultural importance (sacred areas, heritage value) of forests as close examples that explain the non-use value of forests. In some forests, activities such as hiking trails and ecotourism enterprises portray the recreational value of forests for largely urban visitors.
Participatory forestry in Africa
Existence value is the value that people place on the continued existence of certain species of wild animals found in particular forest areas such as bears or tigers. Heritage values may be high among local populations who use or reside in a forest area, to the extent that they wish to see a way of life and culture that has 'co-evolved' with the forest be passed down to their heirs. theirs. The most important and interesting trend in policy change is the growing acceptance of community involvement as a correct mechanism to effectively link forest livelihoods with issues of sustainable forest resource management.
Approaches to Participatory Forestry in Africa
The conditions of forests handed over to communities
One of the factors that determines the success or failure of any participatory forestry intervention is the quality of the forests transferred to the local communities. The quality of the forest resources managed under participatory forestry is an indication of the government's commitment to sharing the responsibilities and benefits of forest management. On the African continent, the experience of participatory forestry does not reflect a uniform trend in this regard.
The rights of access and management of forest resources
Opportunities and challenges for Participatory Forestry
This chapter has also indicated that the sustainability of rural livelihoods in the context of forest resources is determined by a wide range of issues that can have a direct and indirect impact on the resources. The challenges for sustainable management and rural livelihoods associated with forestry on the African continent have also been uncovered. Therefore, the next chapter looks specifically at the South African experience with the forestry sector and the forces that have influenced change in the post-apartheid era.
Introduction
Transitions in South African forestry
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND .1 The Traditional Era
- The Colonial Era
- Increased Afforestation for Emerging Commercial Sectors (1914-1940) The period 1914-1940 is marked by a shift from conservation to production and the
- The Apartheid Era (1940-1993)
- The management and conservation of indigenous forest resources
The recovery of charcoal in some areas indicates the use of wood in prehistoric times (Colchester et al, 2003). The 1980s were marked by the continued narrowing of the state's role in the forest industry. In fact, the performance of the state in industry was around this time in decline compared to that of private enterprise.
The new South African forestry
Forestry and rural communities
Indeed, the emphasis on the involvement of rural communities in South African forestry marks a significant shift after a long history of negligence in addressing the social impacts of forestry activities. The shift thus marks the government's commitment to undoing past inequalities. The involvement of local communities in forestry is visible both in the management of natural forests and in commercial forestry activities for local economic development.
Community forestry
They further point out that the main reason for the failure of early community forestry programs in South Africa was that they were not participatory and were controlled and influenced by external agencies, mainly the government, without a deep understanding of the socio- economy. dynamics and developmental needs of the rural poor. As a result, Ham and Theron (1999) conclude that most early community forestry interventions failed to meet their intended goals and disappeared.
The new dispensation
- Rural communities and the management of natural forests
- The small out-grower timber schemes and rural livelihoods
After 1994, a rapid change in forest management policy and practice in South Africa has been witnessed in many parts of the country. The shift towards involving local communities in the management of natural forests in South Africa has also been influenced by the growing recognition of the role that non-timber forest products (NTFPs) play in the livelihoods of rural communities (DWAF, 2005; Shackleton, 2004; Shackleton, 2005; Shackleton et al, 2007). Given the nature of the problems described above, it can be concluded that .' Small-scale timber schemes outside growers are unlikely to provide sustainable benefits to him.
Conclusion
Perhaps the issue that has not yet been addressed in commercial forestry is that the environmental and social impacts associated with the forest plantations have not been sufficiently addressed. The negative impact of the commercial forestry activities has been seen, for example, in communal areas adjacent to the commercial forestry activities (Tewari, 2000). Overall, there is an indication that the government should make more efforts to assist rural communities in commercial forestry matters in promoting strategies for sustainable management and livelihoods.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND THE BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY AREA
Introduction
Background of the Study Area
- Geographical location of Saint Bernard
- Population and Infrastructure
According to Nxumalo et al (2001), Nhlazuka village is the fifth ward of Richmond municipality. It is important to note that St. Bernard is located much closer to commercial plantations. There are four water tanks that have been installed by the municipality, but it was found that they are insufficient to meet all the water needs of the community.
MAP OF KWAZULU-NATAL SHOWING THE LOCATION OF NHLAZUKA
- Research and Methodology
- Sampling
- Probability or random sampling
- Simple random sampling
- Participatory research methods
- Rapid Rural Appraisal
- Participatory Rural Appraisal
- Quantitative method
- The Contents of the Questionnaire
- Fieldwork
- The Procedure in the Field
- The data collection: Questionnaire Survey
- Data collection: Participatory Workshops
- Limitations
- Conclusion
- Socio-economic profile of the community
- The main uses and needs of forest resources
- Challenges and constraints in accessing forest resources
- Forest conservation and management measures employed
- Community participation in forestry
- The impact of commercial plantations on local livelihoods
- Qualitative data analysis
- The ranking and scoring exercise Table 5.42a: Ranking Matrix
- The description and discussion of the Venn diagram
- Mental mapping of Saint Bernard community
- Conclusion
- KEY FINDINGS IN RELATION TO THE OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
- The socio-economic profile of the Saint Bernard community
- The main uses of forest resources in the community
- The challenges and constraints in accessing forest resources
- Forest conservation and management measures employed
- Community participation in forestry matters
- Conclusion
The majority of respondents (40%) were between the ages of 45 and 59, with females making up the majority (16) and males 4. This indicates the demand and importance of forest resources in the Saint Bernard community. In addition, 20% of respondents believed that forest conservation denies the community access to important resources.
This section looks at the participation of the community members in forestry matters in the Saint Bernard community. Forty percent of the respondents mentioned that they do not know if there is a portion of the land that belongs to the community in the plantations. The location of the forests in relation to the community can be identified on the map.
The community committee has proven to play a leading role in the conservation and management of the native forest in the St Bernard community.
