Abstract

This research has made an endeavor to analyze the practices of community based participatory forest management and its impacts on the incomes of the forest user groups and the forest cover of Chilimo forest, Dendi District, Ethiopia. 380 households were selected from seven peasant association proportionally and simple random sampling was adopted to choose the sample households from each peasant association. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze and interprete the data. The income of forest user groups and the Chilimo forest cover were enhanced as a result of community based participatory forest management. Forest revenue and the introduction of some agricultural activities are attributed to the income improvement of the forest user groups. The statistical test result showed that there is a significant income difference (U=10078.5, P=0.00) between forest user group and non-forest groups. The magnitude of land use in general and forest cover change in particular was drastically changed between 1990 and 2010 at Chilimo forest. A significant forest cover change variation (P=0.00) within 1900-2010 has been observed. Plantation of seedlings and protection of existing trees are the major factor for the regeneration of the forest cover. A better outcome of participatory forest management can be achieved if the government supports the forest user groups to ensure its sustainability and expand the forest user group income generating activities into the whole cooperatives.

Key words: Community based participatory forest management, income, forest user groups, Chilimo, forest cover change.