Community natural resource management: the case of woodlots in northern Ethiopia

This paper examines the nature of community management of woodlots and investigates the determinants of collective action and its effectiveness in managing woodlots, based on a survey of 100 villages in Tigray, northern Ethiopia. We find that collective management of woodlots generally functions wel...

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Autores principales: Gebremedhin, Berhanu, Pender, John L., Tesfaye, Girmay
Formato: Artículo preliminar
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Food Policy Research Institute 2000
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/155677
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author Gebremedhin, Berhanu
Pender, John L.
Tesfaye, Girmay
author_browse Gebremedhin, Berhanu
Pender, John L.
Tesfaye, Girmay
author_facet Gebremedhin, Berhanu
Pender, John L.
Tesfaye, Girmay
author_sort Gebremedhin, Berhanu
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This paper examines the nature of community management of woodlots and investigates the determinants of collective action and its effectiveness in managing woodlots, based on a survey of 100 villages in Tigray, northern Ethiopia. We find that collective management of woodlots generally functions well in Tigray. Despite limited current benefits received by community members, the woodlots contribute substantially to community wealth, increasing members’ willingness to provide collective effort to manage the woodlots. We find that benefits are greater and problems less on woodlots managed at the village level than those managed at a higher municipality level, and that the average intensity of management is greater on village-managed woodlots. Nevertheless, we find little evidence of differences in collective management of woodlots or its effectiveness on village vs. municipality-managed woodlots, after controlling for other factors. The factors that do significantly affect collective action include population density (higher collective labor input and lower planting density at intermediate than at low or high density), market access (less labor input, planting density and tree survival where market access is better), and presence of external organizations promoting the woodlot (reduces local effort to protect the woodlot and tree survival). The negative effect of market access suggests that higher opportunity costs of labor and/or increased “exit options” undermine collective resource management. The findings suggest collective action may be more beneficial and more effective when managed at a more local level, when the role of external organizations is more demand-driven, and when promoted in intermediate population density communities more remote from markets. In higher population density settings and areas closer to markets, private-oriented approaches are likely to be more effective.
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spelling CGSpace1556772025-11-06T07:23:47Z Community natural resource management: the case of woodlots in northern Ethiopia Gebremedhin, Berhanu Pender, John L. Tesfaye, Girmay resource management forest management population density collective action land management This paper examines the nature of community management of woodlots and investigates the determinants of collective action and its effectiveness in managing woodlots, based on a survey of 100 villages in Tigray, northern Ethiopia. We find that collective management of woodlots generally functions well in Tigray. Despite limited current benefits received by community members, the woodlots contribute substantially to community wealth, increasing members’ willingness to provide collective effort to manage the woodlots. We find that benefits are greater and problems less on woodlots managed at the village level than those managed at a higher municipality level, and that the average intensity of management is greater on village-managed woodlots. Nevertheless, we find little evidence of differences in collective management of woodlots or its effectiveness on village vs. municipality-managed woodlots, after controlling for other factors. The factors that do significantly affect collective action include population density (higher collective labor input and lower planting density at intermediate than at low or high density), market access (less labor input, planting density and tree survival where market access is better), and presence of external organizations promoting the woodlot (reduces local effort to protect the woodlot and tree survival). The negative effect of market access suggests that higher opportunity costs of labor and/or increased “exit options” undermine collective resource management. The findings suggest collective action may be more beneficial and more effective when managed at a more local level, when the role of external organizations is more demand-driven, and when promoted in intermediate population density communities more remote from markets. In higher population density settings and areas closer to markets, private-oriented approaches are likely to be more effective. 2000 2024-10-24T12:42:25Z 2024-10-24T12:42:25Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/155677 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Gebremedhin, Berhanu; Pender, John L.; Tesfaye, Girmay. 2000. Community natural resource management: the case of woodlots in northern Ethiopia. EPTD Discussion Paper 60. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/155677
spellingShingle resource management
forest management
population density
collective action
land management
Gebremedhin, Berhanu
Pender, John L.
Tesfaye, Girmay
Community natural resource management: the case of woodlots in northern Ethiopia
title Community natural resource management: the case of woodlots in northern Ethiopia
title_full Community natural resource management: the case of woodlots in northern Ethiopia
title_fullStr Community natural resource management: the case of woodlots in northern Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Community natural resource management: the case of woodlots in northern Ethiopia
title_short Community natural resource management: the case of woodlots in northern Ethiopia
title_sort community natural resource management the case of woodlots in northern ethiopia
topic resource management
forest management
population density
collective action
land management
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/155677
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