Chapter9 Participatory Management Plan for Bounouna Forest Reserve

Chapter９ Participatory Management Plan for Bounouna Forest Reserve 9. Participatory Management Plan for Bounouna Forest Reserve 9.1. Policy of the Management Plan Objectives ：Rehabilitation of forest resources and promotion of management by establishing GGFs in related villages Expected ：Forest Service, GGFs in related villages, NGOs, sawmills, Stakeholders citizens of Banfora (Structures) Main Activities ：Planting trees, agro-forestry, countermeasures against bush fire, supervision of illegal activities, creation of recreational forests Incentives for ：A share of the revenues from fuel woods which will be produced communities in plantations, and from agricultural products produced in agro-forestry fields Since forest resources have already been degraded by bush fires and fuel wood collection in Bounouna Forest Reserve, the main objectives of this management plan is thus the “Rehabilitation of forest resources”. Considering the incentives for communities, creating plantations with fuel wood species and introducing agro-forestry could be main activities in the initial phase of the management plan, although several other countermeasures are possible. An institutional management will be established whereby some of the planted trees (fuel woods trees) are systematically cut after their maturity, and the benefits of those products (fuel woods) are shared for communities. The benefits of the produce from agro-forestry fields will be shared with community as well. Given those shares of benefits to communities as incentives, their concern on forest reserve will be heightened and their involvement in “forest activities” encouraged. Then, it is expected that local villagers will spontaneously join management/conservation activities, i.e. controlling bush fires in plantations, monitoring illegal cutting, and so on. Major importance will be also attached to introducing indigenous species to plantations to rehabilitate original vegetation in the reserve from the middle phase of the plan. Finally, it is anticipated that the objectives of the management plan will be achieved by extending plantations to the whole reserve, and by establishing collaborative management/monitoring systems with the local villagers. For realizing the objectives mentioned above, management of forest resources by GGFs in related villages will be promoted. Cooperation with NGOs and monetary support from sawmills are also considered as important factors. There are four villages closely related to the reserve, they are Bounouna, Labola Nambalfo, Labola Sankrala, and Gnoungouana. Another two villages adjoining the reserve, i.e. Tatana and Toumgouana, have been merged 9-1 into Banfora City, and people in the villages hardly have any relation with the reserve except the older generations. Therefore, Bounouna and Labola GGFs were officially established at first. Then, the formation of the union of these GGFs was built. If there are some people in the other two villages who are interested in these activities, they can join the activities upon organizing their own groups. At the same time, cooperation between GGFs and NGOs will be encouraged for promoting planting and agro-forestry. In future, it is aimed for present planting activities (agro-forestry), which are practised as an obligation of sawmills (planting 10ha every year), to be undertaken by GGFs under cooperation with NGOs. Moreover, according to the demographic expansion of Banfora City and the future role of the reserve as an important resource of amenity for Banfora citizens, the creation of recreational forests (amenity forests), the promotion of planting activities for Banfora citizens, and IEC (Information, Education and Communication) activities will be planned in the middle-long term. 9.2. Implementation Systems of Local communities, the Administration and Others 9.2.1. Roles of Local communities, the Administration and Others and Their Implementation Systems Actors As already described earlier, the implementing body of the Bounouna Forest Reserve Management Plan is the GGF1. The Bounouna GGF and the Labola GGF which comprises three villages (blocks) have been set up and have been conducting planting activities inside the forest reserves. Grazing and/or cultivation inside the Bounouna Forest Reserve require some management measures for which breeder and farmers’ groups can become major actors. Moreover, the CACOSE (which is a collective of association) is conducting agro-forestry in the Bounouna Forest Reserve2 assisted by these two GGF which receive the financial assistance of a sawmill. In this sense, both the CACOSE and the sawmill in question are important actors in plan implementation. To further exploit the characteristics of the Bounouna Forest Reserve which is adjacent to Banfora, a local city, it is anticipated 1 The management of a forest reserve requires the involvement of all related villages. However, given the experiences of (i) confusion between residents’ organizations in villages related to the Toumousséni Forest reserve and (ii) the Gonsé Forest reserve in northern Ouagadougou where the GTZ has provided assistance, it appears suitable to make the GGF formed to manage such a block the leading implementing body. 2 In 2004, agro-forestry is being implemented over an area of 10 ha. A problematic issue is the striking of a balance between the need for increased farmland to benefit from the suburban location and the need for planting. 9-2 that this forest reserve will play the role of a recreational place for the citizens of Banfora. The creation of a mechanism where the citizens and primary school pupils, etc. of Banfora can participate in planting activities inside the Bounouna Forest Reserve sooner rather than later is necessary together with other steady efforts to realise this future role. The Forestry Service has jurisdiction for forest reserves and, therefore, is the main actor on the administration side for the management of forest reserves. Meanwhile, villages related to forest reserves are administered by the head of the department3 to which villages belong. It may be necessary to obtain the technical assistance of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Animal Resources, etc. for the purpose of managing the forest reserve. Based on the above, the main actors in the management of the Bounouna Forest Reserve are listed below. • Administration/Forestry Service • Administration/department chiefs, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Animal Resources • Local communities’ organization/GGF, GGF Union • Breeder groups, farmers’ groups and women’s groups, etc. • CACOSE and the sawmill • Banfora Municipal Authority and citizens of Banfora Administration Villagers support & Forestry Service collaboration Bounouna Forest Department Chief Reserve Ministry of GGF Union Future technical Agriculture GGF training /Ministry of Animal Resouces Bounou Labola regulation of na GGF GGF illegal act activities collaborative Bounouna Forest &conservation activities Reserve NGO, Association Figure 9.1 Bounouna Forest Reserve Management Implementation System 3 Bounouna is controlled by the Department of Banfora while Labola is controlled by the Department of Tiéfora. 9-3 Implementation system The implementation system for the management of Bounouna Forest Reserve will be divided into two components. One relates to the formulation of an overall management plan and adjustment between the main actors, while the other relates to the actual activities. The Forest Service will be principally responsible for the former and the GGF Union will conduct the publicity and review of the plan under the guidance of the Forest Service. At the implementation stage, member GGFs of the Union will formulate and implement concrete activity plans and the rules of activities within the framework of the management plan under the supervision of the Forest Service.4 If necessary, GGFs will receive technical assistance from the Forest Service, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Animal Resources, etc. Implementation of the management of the Bounouna Forest Reserve will basically be conducted under the system described so far. Implementation system in Bounouna Forest Reserve: • Based on agreement with the Forest Service, the GGFs and CACOSE (agro-forestry) will assume main responsibility for implementing management in the forest reserve. • The Forest Service implements review and formulation of plans, but the GGF Union will disseminate and supervise them. • Where necessary, the Forest Service, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Animal Resources, etc. will provide technical support to the GGFs and collaborate with NGOs and associations. In the case of the participatory forest reserve management plan, it will be crucial to achieve sustainable management by reflecting problems arising from plan implementation and measures to solve them in the management plan in question. It will be essential to create a mechanism where the GGF Union plays a central part in reflecting the opinions and problem solving measures gathered by the Forest Service from GGFs conducting agro-forestry and forestation, etc. through monitoring and other means in the management plan. In other words, the GGF Union should summarise the opinions of individual GGFs and then discuss the issues with the Forest Service and other relevant organizations to ensure that the management plan reflects the local opinions and measures recommended by the GGFs. 4 One important lesson learned from the Forestation Pilot Study conducted by the JICA Study Team

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