Community Perspective on State Forest Management Regime and its Implication on Forest Sustainability: A Case Study of Chobe Forest Reserve, Botswana

Abstract

Forest management regimes have evolved worldwide over time in a quest to protect and conserve forests. This paper analyzed local communities’ perspectives on the existing management regime for the Chobe Forest Reserve, Botswana. The study draws from a combination of triangulated data sources comprising household survey and focus group discussions. A total of 183 respondents from three communities were randomly sampled for the household survey, complemented with focus group discussions. Descriptive and inferential statistics and thematic analyses were used for analyzing data. Communities’ perspectives were expressed through three central aspects underpinning the management regime: (1) level of satisfaction on state forest management regime, (2) willingness to partake in conservation activities, and (3) consultation and involvement in decision-making. Generally, the satisfaction scores showed that communities were ambivalent on the performance of the Chobe Forest Reserve management regime. Moreover, focus group discussants argued for inclusiveness of management approaches. This manifests from the locals’ exclusion in the management and conservation of the forest, resulting in the formulation of regulations which infringes on the locals’ right to access and use of forest resources for livelihood sustenance. This calls for a swift shift away from the longstanding tradition of local community exclusion but to inclusive participatory approaches.