Project Background

Experimental institutional arrangements for forest management have been evolving at a variety of dry forest sites in the semi-arid areas of Africa for some years now, succeeding an era of centralised but increasingly nominal State control in many countries, which had failed to conserve and manage woodland resources. These new approaches - which involve management with local people - are being tried.

Project Objectives

Techniques for sustainable management of forest resources by local governance systems developed and promoted.

Intended Outputs

• Case studies of institutional dynamics of dryland forest user groups and their interaction documented and disseminated.
• Conclusions drawn on appropriate local use/management structures, rule making, and enforcement processes.
• Participatory resource assessment and monitoring methods developed/applied and tested.
• Criteria for effective use and management plans and structures defined.
• Criteria for identification of manageable semi-arid woodlands defined.