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Potential for joint management and multiple use of Nyungwe Forest, Rwanda

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Nyungwe Forest in the South West of Rwanda is surrounded by a dense human
population (350 people/km') which depends on subsistence agriculture and livestock.
Previous reports on the Forest have shown that its survival is threatened by illegal use
of its resources. Participatory rural appraisal was conducted in five Communes next
to the Forest to study the community's perceptions, uses and interests with respect to
access and management of the Forest. Respondents perceived the Forest as a source
of 18 categories of products of which only 14 were said to be of value for the
respondents'livelihoods. Land, timber and minerals (gold) were the priority resources
preferred by more than 55% of the respondents. Other important resources included
fodder/pastures, wooden goods, fuelwood and poles. Fourteen different species were
most preferred for timber, 16 for poles, 45 for medicinal materials and six for wooden
goods. However, the majority of these species were preferred for multiple uses as
timber, poles and medicines.
A forest resource assessment was carried out to identify the stock of the preferred tree
species. Not all woody resources mentioned as being preferred were available, with
some tree species not found at all in the Forest. In order to identify tree species that
can be used sustainably, different criteria including abundance (density), dominance,
diameter size-class distribution and regeneration, were used in combination. Of the
12 tree species recorded in the Forest and most preferred for timber, only three
species were present in sufficient abundance and sizes to allow sustainable utilisation.
Of the 12 pole species identified, six were not vulnerable to exploitation, and of the
preferred medicinal tree species only five were considered to fit into this category.
Low resource availability and the need to address the interests of adjacent
communities necessitated management options which enable access to some resources
and benefits the communities as well as conservation measures to protect the
biodiversity. A range of joint forest management options is discussed in order to
assess the feasibility of a collaborative approach in the management of Nyungwe
Forest. Some recommendations are made with respect to access to resources, the use
of substitutes and areas for future research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Nyungwe Bos in die suidweste van Rwanda word omring deur 'n digte bevolking van
350 mense/km- wat van bestaanslandbou en lewende hawe afhanklik is. Vorige
verslae het aangedui dat die voortbestaan van die Bos bedreig word deur die
onwettige gebruik van sy hulpbronne. 'n Evaluering is in vyf gemeenskappe
(Communes) langs die Bos gedoen om die gemeenskap se persepsies oor, gebruike
van en belangstelling in die toegang tot die Bos, sowel as die bestuur daarvan te
bestudeer. Die mense van hierdie plattelandse gebied is by die evaluering betrek.
Respondente sien die Bos as 'n bron van produkte wat in 18 kategorieë ingedeel kan
word, maar waarvan slegs 14 kategorieë van waarde is vir die respondente om 'n
bestaan te kan maak. Meer as 55% van die respondente het grond, hout en minerale
(goud) as die belangrikste hulpbronne aangedui. Ander belangrike hulpbronne sluit in
veevoer of weivelde, houtartikels, brandhout en pale. Die respondente het 14
verskillende houtspesies verkies as timmerhout, 16 vir pale, 45 vir medisinale
gebruike, en ses vir houtartikels. Die meerderheid van hierdie spesies is egter verkies
vir veelvuldige gebruike soos timmerhout, pale en medisyne.
'n Evaluering van die hulpbronne in die bos is uitgevoer om te bepaal hoeveel bome
van die gunstelingspesies daar in die bos is. Nie al die houthulpbronne wat deur die
respondente verkies is, was beskikbaar nie, en sommige boomspesies is glad nie in die
Bos gevind nie. Ten einde boomspesies te identifiseer wat vir lewensmiddele gebuik
kan word, is 'n kombinasie van verskillende kriteria gebruik, insluitende die
hoeveelheid bome (digtheid), dominansie, die verspreiding van die verskillende klasse
deursneegroottes, en regenerasie. Van die 12 boomspesies in die Bos wat na
aanleiding van hierdie evaluering opgeteken is en wat voorheen as gunstelingspesies
vir timmerhout aangedui is, is daar slegs drie wat volop en groot genoeg is om vir
lewensmiddele gebruik te word. Van die 12 spesies wat vir pale geïdentifiseer is, is
ses teen oorontginning bestand, en van die gunsteling medisinale boomspesies val
slegs vyf in laasgenoemde kategorie.
Lae hulpbronbeskikbaarheid en die behoefte om die aangrensende gemeenskappe se
belange aan te spreek, het bestuuropsies genoodsaak wat toegang tot sommige
hulpbronne moontlik maak en wat die gemeenskappe bevoordeel, sowel as
bewaringsmaatreëls ten einde die biodiversiteit te beskerm. 'n Verskeidenheid
gesamentlike bosbestuuropsies is bespreek ten einde die uitvoerbaarheid van 'n
benadering van samewerking in die bestuur van die Nyungwe Bos te ondersoek.
Enkele aanbevelings is gemaak wat betref toegang tot hulpbronne, die gebruik van
plaasvervangers, en studiegebiede vir verdere navorsing.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53011
Date03 1900
CreatorsNdayambaje, Jean Damascène
ContributorsGrundy, Isla M., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriScience. Dept. of Forest and Wood Science.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format147 pages : illustrations
RightsStellenbosch University

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