Forest Community Integration and Collective Agency in Korup National Park
Forest Community Integration and Collective Agency in Korup National Park, Cameroon: Interactions with Forest Policies and the REDD+ Mechanism by Adam E. Flanery A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Geography College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida St. Petersburg Major Professor: Richard Mbatu, Ph.D. Rebecca Johns, Ph.D. Dona Stewart, Ph.D. Date of Approval: July 1, 2016 Keywords: Community Forestry, Forest Conservation, Agro-industry, Africa, Institutional Analysis, Political Ecology Copyright © 2016, Adam E. Flanery Acknowledgements I’m extremely grateful to my thesis advisor, Dr. Richard Mbatu, for his guidance, and funding through his university start-up grant, without which the research could not have taken place. Dr. Mbatu’s skills conducting fieldwork in rural Africa, and his connections with people in the Korup area and professionals in Yaoundé were also essential. I’m indebted to the generosity of his family, many of whom graciously provided lodging and meals during the trip. I deeply appreciate the assistance of the other two members of my thesis committee, Dr. Dona Stewart and Dr. Rebecca Johns. They have given invaluable feedback and direction, as well as support and personal advice for navigating graduate school. My gratitude goes out to all the participants in the study, who volunteered their time and patience to take part. I would also like to extend my thanks to Chief Ekokola of Esukutan Village for his help in conducting the fieldwork, and the hospitality of his family. Finally, I appreciate the support and encouragement of my parents.
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