What can we learn from community forestry in Tanzania?
| Authors: | Andrea Watts, Susan Charnley, Gregory E. Frey |
| Year: | 2023 |
| Type: | Science Findings |
| Station: | Pacific Northwest Research Station |
| Source: | Science Findings 256. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 6p |
Abstract
The USDA Forest Service has long worked with international partners. In that tradition, the Forest Service and Mpingo Conservation & Development Initiative (MCDI) launched a partnership to support community forestry in Tanzania. Starting in 2017, Susan Charnley and Greg Frey, researchers with the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station and Southern Research Station, respectively, built on that partnership through a research collaboration with MCDI. They investigated factors that contribute to financially viable community forests. They also assessed whether Forest Stewardship Council certification benefited these community forests.A survey of community forest managers revealed that certification is costly. However, communities valued and were proud of the status and recognition that certification provided. Certification also improved administration and attracted visitors to community forests. It was a helpful marketing and fundraising tool, and communities occasionally received price premiums when selling certified timber. Tanzania’s policy and legal framework, productive area size, merchantable timber volume, and market access are factors that influence the success of community forests in the country.Charnley and Frey are now researching community forests in the United States to learn how these forests can contribute to conservation and rural prosperity and achieve financial viability. Lessons learned from MCDI’s experience, along with their research findings, can guide future community forests.