article · Heliyon
The Community Resource Management Area framework was introduced in Ghana during the 1990s to conserve and expand forest cover. An evaluation of the Zukpiri reserve in the Upper West Region, drawing on data from 190 households across seven communities alongside focus groups and interviews, reveals how local populations manage these protected zones. Communities implement resource management committees, bye-laws, and fines to regulate extraction. Participation in the initiative delivers tangible livelihood gains, especially through the collection of non-timber forest products and supplementary assistance from governmental and non-governmental organisations. However, the system faces operational hurdles, including disputes over land tenure and conflicts surrounding resource usage. Aligning targeted livelihood strategies with conservation goals provides a mechanism for state bodies such as the Forestry Commission of Ghana to sustain and strengthen community engagement in resource protection.
Community-based conservation balances ecological protection with rural economic survival. Examining how community reserves operate helps policymakers, forestry authorities, and development agencies identify effective governance strategies while addressing structural disputes over land and resources. Establishing reliable economic incentives alongside clear regulatory rules ensures that rural populations remain active partners in preserving critical ecosystems.
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The Community Resource Management Area (CREMA) model was adopted in Ghana in the 1990s to help conserve and increase the forest area of Ghana. Since its adoption, little is known about the prospects of the model in the scientific literature. To fill this gap, this study examined the management strategies, benefits and challenges of the Zukpiri CREMA in the Upper West Region. Mixed methods research involving a survey of 190 households, seven (7) focus group discussions and key informant interviews were employed to collect data in seven (7) CREMA communities. The study found that local communities employed several strategies including the formation of community resource management committees, enactment of bye-laws and fines regarding the management and extraction of the CREMA resources. The CREMA has positively impacted the livelihoods of the inhabitants through the harvesting of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and support from Governmental and Non-Governmental Organisations. Nonetheless, the CREMA is not without challenges. These include land tenure and the CREMA resource use conflicts. This study, therefore, argued that besides creating an enabling ecologically balanced environment, inhabitants of the CREMA communities are reaping the benefits of the CREMA in many ways. Hence, the Forestry Commission of Ghana should focus on aligning relevant livelihood strategies in line with the CREMA approach to further deepen local communities' commitment to the conservation drive.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08187
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