PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES OF FOREST RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN NORTH SHOA ZONE,DEBRE SINA OF AMHARA REGION

Abstract

The progress of forest resources management is not measured only by for what purpose and how much we utilize it but also the willingness, organization and preparation of developing and protecting it. So, the main purpose of this studywas to assess the general practices and challenges of FRM in the kebeles of DebreMeaza and SinaZuria, Debresina Area, North Shoa Zone, Amhara region. The data were collected mainly through questionnaire, focus groupdiscussion and interview. A total of 104 household heads out of 1040 household heads of the two kebeles were selected for questionnaire using systematic sampling technique through equiprobablity method and 20 Household heads for FGD through purposive sampling technique. After collecting data from household heads and focal persons from governmental and non-governmental bodies, the data were mainly analyzed qualitatively through triangulation. The findings of this research shows tendencies of communities of the study area and government bodies towards utilization of forests for their commercial purposes, where little is done to conserve and advance forest resources and its cover over the area due to absence of organized stable planning. As a result, the survey study recommended the need for organized participatory forest management system, which engages each and every responsible stakeholder in the utilization, developmental planning and developing as well as decision making processes, which in turn develops sense of ownership no matter the differences in the level of benefits each body gets.