Supporting local initiatives in woodland regeneration: a case stdudy from Ntabazinduna communal land, Zimbabwe
1997
Makuku, S. | Muwenhu, P. | Ncube, J. | Clarke, J.
Ntabazinduna communal land is close to city of Bulawayo and is severly deforested as a result of the high population densities and fuelwood sales to the city. The grazing areas have been transformed to acacia scrubland with reduced grass and woody biomas as compared to original acacia savan. This has led to shortages of a wide range of woodland producs including grazing. Since the 1940's, the response of public sector agencies to what they perceived as a fuelwood crisis, has been to promote the establishment of eucalypt woodlots. In contrast, local people have adopted a more cost-effective strategy which is to promote the regeneration of the indigenous woodlands. In recent years, efforts by families and community groups to protect and manage acacia regrowth have begun to spread thoughout the whole of Ntabazinduna. Through the use of Participatory Rural Appraisal methods, a smal team of forestry researchers and extension staff investigated and documented these initiatives, and at the same time found ways to support and build upon them. This adaptive research study highlights the need for social forestry research and extension to place a much greater empasis on building on existing initiatives such as these, and provides an example of hw this can be done by a team of reseach and extension staff working in partnership with local people.
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