Participatory Forest Management, Institutional Framework and Conservation of Mau Forest Programme in Bomet County, Kenya

Abstract

Forests play a key role in the livelihoods of local people in most developing countries. Mau Forest in Kenya is threatened by unsustainable uses and conversion to alternative land uses. In spite of the consequences of forest fragmentation, biodiversity erosion and reliance of local communities on forests for ecosystem goods and services, there is little quantitative information on forest use and dependence to guide sustainability. The study investigated the influence of Participatory Forest Management, institutional framework and Conservation of Mau Forest Programme in Bomet County. The study was guided by the following objectives: i. To examine the extent to which participatory forest planning influence conservation of Mau forest programme. ii. To assess the extent to which participatory forest monitoring influence conservation of Mau forest programme. iii. To establish the extent to which participatory implementation of forest management practices influence conservation of Mau forest programme. iv. To determine the extent to which participatory evaluation influence conservation of Mau forest programme. v. To establish the combined influence of participatory forest management on conservation of Mau forest programme. vi. To determine the extent to which institutional framework influence conservation of Mau forest programme. vii. To establish the moderating influence of institutional framework on the relationship between Participatory Forest Management and conservation of Mau forest programme. This study was grounded on Forest Transition Theory and Practice based approach and was guided by descriptive survey and correlational research design. A sample of 364 respondents was drawn from a target population of 4100 people engaged in forest conservation programme using Yamane (1967) Formula. Quantitative data was collected through a self-administered structured questionnaire while qualitative data was collected through an interview guide. Research instruments were pilot tested for validity through content-related, construct and face validity. Reliability was tested using Cronbach alpha coefficient. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential data analysis was done using Pearson correlation coefficient, regression analysis (enter method) and multiple regression analysis (stepwise method).Hypotheses was tested using p-value approach. Due to insufficient evidence from the data, the Null hypotheses failed to be rejected in five objectives: 1(r=0.087, p-value=0.132), 2.(r=-0.021, p-value=0.721), 3.(r=0.03,p-value = 0.959), 4.(r=-0.048,p-value=0.43). It was concluded that there is no significant relationship between them and conservation of Mau forest programme. On objective 5; (p-value=0.521),the null hypothesis failed to be rejected and concluded that there is no significant relationship between the combine influence of Participatory Forest Management and conservation of Mau forest programme. For objective 6, with r=-0.15, p-value=0.007, the null hypothesis was rejected and concluded that there is a significant relationship between institutional framework and conservation of Mau forest programme. Objective 7,with Model1:p-value=0.0.007 and Model 2:Z=-0.189,p-value=0.005,the null hypothesis was rejected and concluded that there is a significant relationship between the moderating influence of institutional framework on the relationship between PFM and conservation of Mau forest programme. Recommendation made is that Forestry reforms should rightly focus on creating community user groups, establishing common rules and providing public infrastructure. Also, there is a growing need for mixed methods research approach in line with pragmatism paradigm in the construction and interpretation of reality.