Sub-Saharan Africa
Local ecological knowledge of trees on farms, constraints and opportunities for further integratino in Tigray Region, northern Ethiopia: A Case Study of smallholder farmers in Abreha Wa Atsbeha and Adi GudomBackgroundThe paper compared two Ethiopian sites with differing levels of on-farm tree adoption: Abreha we Atsbeha (high adoption) and Adi Gudom (low adoption). The author used a knowledge-based systems approach involving participatory rural appraisal, focus group discussions, and semi-structured interviews. In both sites, farmers planted trees on their holdings for income generation, user rights, and direct benefits, and they planted trees on communal lands to comply with government policies, improve soil fertility and water harvesting, improve land for redistribution, and improve aesthetics. Open access copy available |
300,000 Hectares Restored in Shinyanga, Tanzania — but what did it really take to achieve this restoration?BackgroundOpen access copy available |
Community-based mangrove forest management: Implications for local livelihoods and coastal resource conservation along the Volta estuary catchment area of GhanaBackgroundThe author of this paper recognize that there has been limited research into the primary motivators for motivating long-term community-based mangrove restoration and management on local scales. In order to fill this gap, this paper aims to assess management practices of community-based mangrove restoration projects in the Volta River estuary in Ghana, paying close attention to the ecological and economic incentives for community-based mangrove forest management (CBMFM). The site was evaluated between 1974 and 2011 and the authors used participatory mapping and orthophotos. Available with subscription or purchase |
The role of ecological theory and practice in poverty alleviation and environmental conservationBackgroundThis review emphasized the roles and tools of ecologists that would be helpful in poverty alleviation internationally. Specifically, knowledge of sustainable sources of energy, provision of clean water, functional traits of vegetation, and design of agro-forestry systems were cited as examples of knowledge that would be helpful for cross-disciplinary strategies. Open access copy available |
Opportunities and capacity for community-based forest carbon sequestration and monitoring in GhanaBackgroundThis paper documents the key areas which would need to be addressed in developing a monitoring plan for carbon sequestration in forest plantation in Ghana. These key areas were identified through local community engagement to understand how forest restoration plays a role in their lives and if they were equipped with the technical skills necessary to carry out monitoring work. Open access copy available |
The effects of The International Smallgroup and Tree Planting Program on household income in Nyeri district, KenyaBackgroundThe aim of the study was to determine the effects of TIST program on household income, environmental services and to determine factors that influence participation. Available with subscription or purchase |
The Communal Management of Forests in the Semi‐arid and Sub‐humid Regions of Africa: Past Practice and Prospects for the FutureBackgroundThis article is based on an extensive literature search to analyze indigenous forestry practices in the dryland regions of anglophone and francophone regions of Africa. The authors drew on biology, forestry, and ethnographic material and was written with the aim of encouraging practitioners to involve peoples living near forests into the land management strategies. Available with subscription or purchase |
Strategies for empowering the local people to participate in forest restorationBackgroundThis study examined how local people’s involvement in determining and establishing appropriate reforestation techniques and practices can yield positive results. The study also examined the conditions for local people’s willingness to participate in implementing such techniques in their practices. The study was conducted in 10 villages surrounding Mabira Forest Reserve located in Central Uganda. Open access copy available |
A Multicountry Assessment of Tropical Resource Monitoring by Local CommunitiesBackgroundThe study compared data collected on status and trends collected independently by local community members and trained scientists for 63 taxa and five types of resource use in 34 tropical forest sites over 2.5 years so examine the assumption that local people are less objective than external scientists when monitoring natural resources. Open access copy available |
Goal programming: Application in the management of the miombo woodland in MozambiqueBackgroundThe paper aims to show the potential for applying goal programming mathematical modeling techniques as a tool to help determine an optimal strategy for combining multi-stakeholder activities in a multi-objective planning framework for the management of miombo woodlands. Available with subscription or purchase |
