Securing the future of forests – lessons from Namibia

Despite the efforts of many conservation and environmental groups, the destruction of forests around the world continues to increase. In Namibia, the amount of forest cleared each year has increased by 80% during the last ten years. Many people are dependant on forests for resources such as food and fuel wood, and the continuing destruction of forests threatens their livelihoods.

Research from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, explores the factors causing the destruction of forests (known as deforestation) in Namibia. The forest regions of Namibia have large populations, who are attracted by the favourable climate and high rainfall in many forest areas. These people have cleared large areas of forest for construction materials, fuel wood and agricultural land. This clearing process is not always performed using the most sustainable methods, however. For example, mopane trees, which produce highly valuable wood for house building, are not killed by regular cutting, but repeated cuttings reduce the tree to a less useful bushy form.

The main causes of deforestation in Namibia are:

• Forest-dwelling people lack secure rights to land and resources, so they have no incentive to limit their use of these resources.
• Most forested areas are not owned by the state, communities or individuals, which makes restrictions on resource management difficult to enforce.
• Markets for selling forest products encourages the overuse of resources.
• Services provided by the government, such as boreholes, loans and guaranteed access to livestock markets, cause further damage to the forests through greater livestock numbers and a concentration of activity around water points.
• The traditional chiefs of communal forests are susceptible to corruption, and they give away too much land to individuals, causing overuse of forest resources.

Large forest populations do not always cause forest destruction. It is possible for people to live in a forest without causing lasting damage if activities are well organised. In Namibia, social factors and the lack of effective forest management play a large part in the problem, alongside unhelpful involvement from the government. The research makes the following recommendations for improving forest management:

• A communal land act outlining best practices for forest management, based on up-to-date forest resource data and advised upon by forest experts.
• Greater cooperation between different forestry sectors, such as the Ministry of Lands and the Ministry of Agriculture, for devising policies.
• Giving communities responsibility for the forests and strengthening their management capacity.
• A prosecution system for people who do not comply with forest laws, including fines which can be used to restore the environment.

The government needs to assist communities by enforcing rules regarding forest access and use. Furthermore, ensuring access to markets for forest and agricultural products would increase economic activity in these communities, which in turn can encourage improved transport networks, education and communication facilities. An improved infrastructure could also attract other industries, such as international tourism and wildlife ranching. This would reduce the need for using forest resources and further improve rural economies.

There is an urgent need to combine social and economic development with the conservation of forest resources. New partnerships between forest people, forest authorities and governments must be created to form the policies required to meet these complex demands.

Source(s):
‘The effects of communal land resource management on forest conservation in northern and north-eastern Namibia’, Development Southern Africa 20, 3, September 2003.

id21 Research Highlight: 19 August 2004

Further Information:
Scotney Watts
Conservation Ecology Department,
Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences,
University of Stellenbosch,
Stellenbosch,
South Africa

Tel: +27 21 808 3302
Fax: +27 21 808 3304
Contact the contributor: watts@sun.ac.za

University of Stellenbosch, South Africa

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'Protecting forests for water management'

'Carbon trading and forests - opportunities for local development'

'Joint forest management in India: a sapling with feeble roots?'

'Privileging the partnership: can joint forest management succeed?'

'Does ownership matter? Sustainable forestry in eastern and southern Africa'

'Are governments out of the woods? Returning Africa’s woodlands to communities'