Forest Management from Local Knowledge, Institutions and Livelihood Perspectives: A Case of Belete -Gera Forest in Southwestern Oromia Region, Ethiopia
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Date
2010-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AAU
Abstract
This
study dea
ls
with forest manag
e
m
ent
.Fom the perspectives of
local know
ledge and
in
stitutions in re
l
ati
on to the li velihood of
local peop
le with particular
refe
r
e
nce
to Ba
late Cera Forest Priority Area of lim a Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. By using materialFom Ganji-caalla o.f Gera district, the paper attempted to address the role
of local knowledge and in
stitutions in/orest manage
m
ent in
r
elation to liv
elihood of the
local
people. The
s
tudy was based on the /ield res
earch condu
c
t
ed in Gera
d
istrict for
two solid
months ranging
.Fom
2l
December 2009 to
2l February 20
l 0. Differe nt tools of data
gath
ering
mechanisms were
employed
stru
ctur
ed and unstru
ctur
ed int
e
r
v
iews, focused
group
d
iscuss
i
o
n
s, observ
ation and survey we
re utilized in order
to obtain re
levant and
r
eliab
le
data. The data were analyz
ed qualitatively
employing conceptual Fameworks of political
eco
logy and common property theories.
The qualitative analysis of the study
revea
led that know
ledge of local people about the values
of forest and forest manage
m
ent was in
c
redible. They were welL aware of ecolo
g
ica
l,
economic and socio-cultural values offorest in the study area. The
study also indica
ted thaI
customwy in
stitutions of the local people have played a
g
reat role in forest manage
m
ent. In
the study area, the experie
nce of
c
h
a
rcoal burning, cutting live trees for fire wood, and
extra
ction of timb
er were
v
e,y minimal. However, local peop
le have been utili
zing forest
resources for
sub
s
is
t
e
nce domestic uses caut
iously and selectiv
e
ly. Traditional
lea
d
e
rship set
ups
s
u
ch as abbaa lagaa and
shanee were still active and played
g
r
eat role in
resource
manage
m
ent and other social aflairs like confli
ct resolution. Above all,
f indings Fom this
study impli
ed the importance of considering exisling cus
toma,.y in
s
t
itutions. respecting
ownership rights of forest resources users and red
u
cing the role of governm
ent to
techni
cal
support and some aspects of administration for
s
u
stainable forest manag
e
m
ent. Future
researc
hes
should
be directed to how the existing
c
ustomwy institutions will
be fostered into
fo
rest management ins/itutions in colLaborating
with the local government in
stitutions and
non
-governm
ental organizations that
have int
e
res
ts
to work
with the local people
respecting
their cus
tomary in
stituti
o
ns.