Are We Getting There? Evidence of Decentralized Forest Management from the Tanzanian Miombo Woodlands

Based on a village study in Tanzania, the effects of decentralized forest management on forest conservation, rural livelihoods and good governance are evaluated. Tree growth is estimated to exceed harvest, and forest utilization appears effectively controlled. Forest revenues cover the costs of mana...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:World development 2008-12, Vol.36 (12), p.2780-2800
Main Authors: Lund, Jens Friis, Treue, Thorsten
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa
Africa Tanzania decentralized forest management participatory forest management poverty forest conservation governance
Conservation
Decentralization
decentralized forest management
Economic activity
Forest conservation
Forest management
Forestry
Governance
Impact analysis
Nature conservation
participatory forest management
poverty
Public revenue
Public services
Rural areas
Studies
Tanzania
Trees
Villages
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Summary:Based on a village study in Tanzania, the effects of decentralized forest management on forest conservation, rural livelihoods and good governance are evaluated. Tree growth is estimated to exceed harvest, and forest utilization appears effectively controlled. Forest revenues cover the costs of management and finance local public services, but the underlying taxes and regulations have made the poorest worse off. Governance outcomes are also ambiguous. Revenues are administered transparently, but village leaders are coercive toward forest dependent minorities. The case provides a rare example of how decentralized forest management works in Africa when meaningful powers are devolved to local communities.
ISSN:0305-750X
1873-5991
DOI:10.1016/j.worlddev.2008.01.014