Adaptive collaborative management of community forests in Asia ...
Adaptive collaborative management of community forests in Asia ...
Adaptive collaborative management of community forests in Asia ...
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78 • Cynthia McDougall, Hemant Ojha, Raj Kumar Pandey, Mani Ram Banjade and Bishnu Hari Pandit<br />
F<strong>in</strong>ally, another significant trend <strong>in</strong> social capital <strong>in</strong>volved the relationship<br />
<strong>of</strong> the CFUGs with external stakeholders, such as neighbor<strong>in</strong>g forest user<br />
groups, village development committees, range posts and bilateral projects.<br />
Communication and <strong>in</strong>teraction <strong>in</strong>creased, as did the number <strong>of</strong> cross-<br />
CFUG visits, contributions to CFUG <strong>in</strong>itiatives, and jo<strong>in</strong>t tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>gs. Very<br />
importantly, the research teams noted that the <strong>in</strong>creased l<strong>in</strong>kages with<br />
external stakeholders were accompanied by an attitud<strong>in</strong>al shift <strong>of</strong> CFUG<br />
members, from passive dependence on and reaction to external stakeholders,<br />
to proactive expression <strong>of</strong> the CFUGs’ self-determ<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong>terests, rights and<br />
needs.<br />
Human capital: build<strong>in</strong>g and spread<strong>in</strong>g skills and confidence<br />
All researchers noted that CFUG members’ knowledge and understand<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>of</strong> their <strong>community</strong> forest’s condition, rules and regulations <strong>in</strong>creased,<br />
especially through engagement <strong>in</strong> the self-monitor<strong>in</strong>g processes. Skills<br />
for participatory plann<strong>in</strong>g and decision mak<strong>in</strong>g based on self-monitor<strong>in</strong>g<br />
also <strong>in</strong>creased, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g skills for analyz<strong>in</strong>g equity <strong>in</strong> the committees <strong>of</strong><br />
both Kaski sites. Although still <strong>in</strong> progress, these were significant changes.<br />
Other related areas <strong>of</strong> skill and knowledge acquisition were facilitation and<br />
participatory process skills, leadership, and technical forest <strong>management</strong> for<br />
timber and nontimber forest products. Engagement with other CFUGs and<br />
meso-level stakeholders <strong>in</strong> networks, through cross-site visits, appeared to<br />
spark new ideas for <strong>management</strong> and <strong>in</strong>come generation activities.<br />
F<strong>in</strong>ally, one very important area <strong>of</strong> change was the <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> confidence,<br />
capacity and <strong>in</strong> some cases freedom for women and other marg<strong>in</strong>alised users<br />
to engage <strong>in</strong> CFUG decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g and challenge exist<strong>in</strong>g structures. Box<br />
3-5 illustrates how one low-caste woman ga<strong>in</strong>ed enough confidence to use<br />
the ACM-based ‘equity assessment process’ as leverage to ga<strong>in</strong> fair access<br />
to a livelihood opportunity.