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Status of Local Structures in Community Participation in Participatory Forest Management Within Ol Bolossat Forest (Kenya)

Received: 1 April 2025     Accepted: 24 June 2025     Published: 9 December 2025
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Abstract

Forests offer a wide range of benefits to humanity, including environmental, ecological, cultural, social, and economic contributions. Traditionally, forest management practices have largely excluded local communities. However, recent years have seen a growing emphasis on involving local residents in forest management a concept referred to as Participatory Forest Management (PFM). This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of local structures in facilitating community participation in PFM within Ol Bolossat Forest in Kenya. Data collection methods included interviews with members of the Community Forest Association (CFA), key informant interviews, and direct observations. The results indicated that local structures, as defined in the study, consist of groups or organizations responsible for executing activities in communities adjacent to the forest. These included the Ol Bolossat CFA, various user groups, and the Forest Level Management Committee (FLMC). Notably, 75.8% of households reported current membership in the Ol Bolossat CFA. The user groups were established to enhance forest management and ensure sustainable practices in conservation, protection, production, and utilization. Most members were involved in activities such as cultivation through the Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme (PELIS), livestock grazing, and firewood collection. These groups contributed to increased agricultural output and provided resources like livestock fodder and firewood. Key indicators of effective forest governance identified in the study included heightened community involvement, equitable participation, inclusivity, and fair distribution of benefits. The findings suggest that a significant portion of the local population has actively engaged in the conservation and management of Ol Bolossat Forest, resulting in widespread benefits from PFM. This study adds to the body of knowledge on forest governance, conservation efforts, and the enhancement of rural livelihoods among communities bordering Ol Bolossat Forest.

Published in International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (Volume 10, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20251004.13
Page(s) 244-254
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Forest Degradation, Forest Restoration, Forest Conservation, Participatory Forest Management, Sustainable Forest Management, Ol Bosolot Forest, Kenya

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  • APA Style

    Kinyili, B. (2025). Status of Local Structures in Community Participation in Participatory Forest Management Within Ol Bolossat Forest (Kenya). International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, 10(4), 244-254. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20251004.13

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    ACS Style

    Kinyili, B. Status of Local Structures in Community Participation in Participatory Forest Management Within Ol Bolossat Forest (Kenya). Int. J. Nat. Resour. Ecol. Manag. 2025, 10(4), 244-254. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20251004.13

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    AMA Style

    Kinyili B. Status of Local Structures in Community Participation in Participatory Forest Management Within Ol Bolossat Forest (Kenya). Int J Nat Resour Ecol Manag. 2025;10(4):244-254. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20251004.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijnrem.20251004.13,
      author = {Benjamin Kinyili},
      title = {Status of Local Structures in Community Participation in Participatory Forest Management Within Ol Bolossat Forest (Kenya)},
      journal = {International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management},
      volume = {10},
      number = {4},
      pages = {244-254},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijnrem.20251004.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20251004.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijnrem.20251004.13},
      abstract = {Forests offer a wide range of benefits to humanity, including environmental, ecological, cultural, social, and economic contributions. Traditionally, forest management practices have largely excluded local communities. However, recent years have seen a growing emphasis on involving local residents in forest management a concept referred to as Participatory Forest Management (PFM). This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of local structures in facilitating community participation in PFM within Ol Bolossat Forest in Kenya. Data collection methods included interviews with members of the Community Forest Association (CFA), key informant interviews, and direct observations. The results indicated that local structures, as defined in the study, consist of groups or organizations responsible for executing activities in communities adjacent to the forest. These included the Ol Bolossat CFA, various user groups, and the Forest Level Management Committee (FLMC). Notably, 75.8% of households reported current membership in the Ol Bolossat CFA. The user groups were established to enhance forest management and ensure sustainable practices in conservation, protection, production, and utilization. Most members were involved in activities such as cultivation through the Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme (PELIS), livestock grazing, and firewood collection. These groups contributed to increased agricultural output and provided resources like livestock fodder and firewood. Key indicators of effective forest governance identified in the study included heightened community involvement, equitable participation, inclusivity, and fair distribution of benefits. The findings suggest that a significant portion of the local population has actively engaged in the conservation and management of Ol Bolossat Forest, resulting in widespread benefits from PFM. This study adds to the body of knowledge on forest governance, conservation efforts, and the enhancement of rural livelihoods among communities bordering Ol Bolossat Forest.},
     year = {2025}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Status of Local Structures in Community Participation in Participatory Forest Management Within Ol Bolossat Forest (Kenya)
    AU  - Benjamin Kinyili
    Y1  - 2025/12/09
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    AB  - Forests offer a wide range of benefits to humanity, including environmental, ecological, cultural, social, and economic contributions. Traditionally, forest management practices have largely excluded local communities. However, recent years have seen a growing emphasis on involving local residents in forest management a concept referred to as Participatory Forest Management (PFM). This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of local structures in facilitating community participation in PFM within Ol Bolossat Forest in Kenya. Data collection methods included interviews with members of the Community Forest Association (CFA), key informant interviews, and direct observations. The results indicated that local structures, as defined in the study, consist of groups or organizations responsible for executing activities in communities adjacent to the forest. These included the Ol Bolossat CFA, various user groups, and the Forest Level Management Committee (FLMC). Notably, 75.8% of households reported current membership in the Ol Bolossat CFA. The user groups were established to enhance forest management and ensure sustainable practices in conservation, protection, production, and utilization. Most members were involved in activities such as cultivation through the Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme (PELIS), livestock grazing, and firewood collection. These groups contributed to increased agricultural output and provided resources like livestock fodder and firewood. Key indicators of effective forest governance identified in the study included heightened community involvement, equitable participation, inclusivity, and fair distribution of benefits. The findings suggest that a significant portion of the local population has actively engaged in the conservation and management of Ol Bolossat Forest, resulting in widespread benefits from PFM. This study adds to the body of knowledge on forest governance, conservation efforts, and the enhancement of rural livelihoods among communities bordering Ol Bolossat Forest.
    VL  - 10
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