Impact Of Joint Forest Management On Forest Resource Base And Livelihoods Of Communities In Amani Nature Reserve, Muheza District, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

Joint Forest Management (JFM) is an institutional arrangement considered to be a proper

way forward for alleviating forest degradation. However, since the inception of JFM in

Amani Nature Reserve (ANR), its impacts to the forest resource base and livelihoods of

surrounding communities is not clearly known. Therefore the study assesses the impacts of

JFM on both forest resource base and livelihoods of the local communities around ANR.

Forest inventory was carried out by laying out 30 sample plots systematically. In the plots,

diameter at breast height and heights of all the trees were measured, recorded and tree

species were identified. Livelihood attributes were collected using a questionnaire,

checklist for key informants and a number of PRA techniques. To assess impact, both

inventory and livelihoods data were compared between 2001 and 2005. Microsoft Excel

Software was used to analyse quantitative data for various forest parameters. Data

collected during PRA were analyzed with the help of the local community. Content and

structural-functional analyses were applied to analyse socio-economic qualitative data.

Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the socio economic

quantitative data. Logistic regression analysis model was developed to identify socioeconomic

factors influencing participation of local communities surrounding ANR in JFM.

The study found that 3043 ± 360 (SE) stems per hectare were obtained in 2005 compared

to 1762 ± 225(SE)) of 2001 indicating significant increase (t = 3.09; p=0.004) though,

dominated by small diameter class of 2.5-10cm. The basal area and wood volume

decreased suggesting that there was tree cutting in ANR. Species diversity indices

increased from 3.271 to 3.379 between 2001 and 2005 indicating that the forest is still

facing human disturbance. Training sessions in JFM, tree planting, income shared from

forest under JFM and engagement of household in economic groups significantly (p