Abstract:
There are different challenges, opportunity and many determinant factors in community
based participatory forest management in Libokemekem Woreda. Therefore,the objective
of this studyfocuses on assessing theChallenge and Opportunity of community based
participatory Forest Management in Libokemkem Communal Forest Area, South Gondar
Zone, Ethiopia. By using simple random sampling method, from the total 6567, 112
households were selected to carry out a questionnaire survey with the aim to generate data
on the socio-economic and physical conditions. Focus group discussion and field
observation were also employed .Data was analyzed using Micro Soft Excels and STATA
Soft Ware. Descriptive statistics and Binary logistic regressions (were used to analyze
forest management challenge and opportunities participatory forest management in the
study area. The results show that the main challenges of participatory forest management
areover grazing, agricultural expansion, poverty and lack of awareness of the local
community about participatory forest management. It was found that land holding size,
livestock owned by respondents,poverty, understanding about the community base
organization, education and gender were found to have positive significant effect on
participation and significant power to influence household decision on participation.
Distance from market and distance from forest, HH size and age found to have negative
significant effect on the decision of participation. So there is participation difference
between households in PFM and such kind of difference is one major challenge in the
implementation PFM in the study area. Toovercome this challenge creating awareness for
the local community about the economic, social and environmental benefits of PFM in the
study area. As the result shows the local community gain different benefits from
participatory forest management improve access to forage, used as source for fuel wood,
improve water holding capacity of the soil, used as home for wild animal, used as source
of construction material, increase agricultural, PFM improve plant spices and improve
their income of the households. The role of local institutions to support PFM
implementation is little and not significant to improve the PFM practice effectively.
