A Review of Existing Factors Influencing Forest User Group Establishment

This  report  examines  the  major  factors  that  influence  the  establishment  of  FUGs  and  the provision  of  support  services  to  them  by  various  agencies.    A  checklist  of  factors influencing  FUG  formation  was  prepared by Project staff and used to conduct informal interviews with FUGs and DFO Rangers.  The data  has  been  presented  in  two  sections:    factors influencing  a  community  to  form  an  FUG,  and  factors  influencing the DFO to support formation. 

Factors influencing a community to form an FUG included:  awareness, forest condition (lack of forest as  well  as  high  value  forest),  the  wish  for  legal  security  of  rights,  the  wish  of women  and  disadvantaged  groups to manage their own forest, conflicting claims to forest, incomplete pre-establishment support from  the DFO, and leadership.  Factors influencing the DFO to support formation included: easy accessibility,  vicinity of other FUGs, high rate of forest offences and plantation forests. 

The review resulted in the identification of the following trends: 

• Contacts with and influence by other FUGs are the most important factors determining local demand  for FUG establishment.  
• The demand for FUG establishment far exceeds the DFOs capacity.  Due to this many FUGs have yet  to be officially formed. This is not considered a serious problem because members both use and protect  their forests. 
• DFO support activities are increasingly becoming demand driven.  
• A protection focus continues to remain the driving force behind the FUGs and the support provided by  the DFO. 
• Formation is generally supported in areas near other FUGs, in plantation areas and in areas accessible  by road.  Attention is not focused on integrated management of natural resources based on natural or  socio-economic boundaries.  
• DFO staff currently try to balance the size of the FUG with a manageable forest size, and try to avoid  creating very small and very large FUGs as was done in the past.  
• The  trend  of  representation  of women  and  disadvantaged  groups  in  FUGs  is  increasing  but  is  very  slow, sporadic and dependent on the FUG's own initiatives.  
• To date, heavy emphasis has been laid on establishment of FUGs and inadequate attention has been  given to organisational management of the FUGs and their potential to diversify their activities. 
• Local  government  bodies  and  NGOs  are  increasingly  becoming  interested  and  involved  in  the  promotion of community forestry, although their roles to date have remained marginal while the DFO  staff feel overburdened. 

A  number  of  open  questions  are  presented  deserving  further  investigation  and  discussion with  policy makers and local service providing institutions alike.