Journal of Biodiversity & Endangered Species

From Fence System to Sustainable Forest Management: Lessons from REDD+ Pilot Project in Masito-Ugalla Ecosystem, Western Tanzania

Abstract

Edmund Mabhuye, Pius Zebhe Yanda, Anselm Mwajombe and Namkunda Johnson

REDD+ mechanism is vital in fostering sustainable forest management particularly enhancing carbon storage, ecosystem integrity, and community livelihoods. This study aimed at investigating the relevance of lessons from REDD+ pilot projects on forest governance and future REDD+ implementation. The study examined key governance aspects considered during piloting REDD+, key lessons learned and their implications on future forest governance and REDD+ implementation. Findings show that community participation was considered during the piloting phase. Intra-village participation was collaborative and so did inter-institutional participation. The representative participation involved selected a few community members who linked local communities with governing institutions. The noninclusion of local communities by district officials in deciding the utilization of forest benefits retarded the community willing to participate in future REDD+ implementation. However, these forms of stakeholders’ participation in REDD+ piloting activities it did not guarantee forest integrity beyond the project period. This was partly attributed to a lack of transparency over benefits from SFM and competing interests over SFM benefits among forest management actors. If the same modes of stakeholders’ participation and benefits sharing are not revisited, they render negative results in future REDD+ implementation. Therefore, community participation should be complemented with other pillars of governance to harmonize the interests of all actors involved in sustainable forest management and REDD+.