Local Perceptions on Community Forests Conservation: Lessons from Namtumbo District, Tanzania

Abstract

This paper intended to gain insights on how local communities perceive theconservation of community forests (CFs). It draws from a study that aimed toexplore how communities perceive conservation efforts, and uncover the mannerthrough which contextual factors shape these perceptions. Data for this paperwere generated through a triangulation of methods, whereby a structuredquestionnaire was administered to 200 households, and unstructuredquestionnaires to 43 households. In addition, 7 key informant interviews (KIIs)and 5 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with forest experts andvillage leaders to provide further insights and interpretation of the data. Weused qualitative and quantitative methods to analyse data on local perceptionsof the conservation of CFs. Content and micro-interlocutor analysis was used forqualitative data analysis, while descriptive statistics and Probit regression wereused for quantitative data. According to the results, most respondents (85.25%)viewed the conservation of CFs positively. The study indicated that factors suchas age, land ownership, conservation benefits, spill-over effects, policy andregulations, and involvement in decision-making processes positively impactedperspectives. However, occupation and conservation costs were unfavourablefactors that influenced their viewpoints. Despite the community’s positiveattitudes, conservation efforts have not succeeded due to the lack of motivationand conflicts of interest, which align with the social exchange theory. We arguethat to achieve effective conservation, it is crucial to adopt various strategiessuch as creating economic opportunities through CFs, modernizing agriculture,and issuing certificates of customary right of occupancy (CCRO).