A transforming traditional community based forest management: the case of Loita community forest, Kenya

Governments are pushing for decentralization of forestry governance, but in Loita community forest, the traditional community management organization is inviting government and other stakeholders to participate in the forests' management. This study was undertaken through questionnaires, Focus Group Discussion, Key Informant Interviews, and participant observation. Loita community forest is a community forest supposed to be managed by the County Government on behalf of the community since the community is not registered as a legal entity to manage and own the forest as required by the Land Act. The community was practically managing the forest under Traditional Community Based Forest Management. The community leadership was faltering, resulting in forest degradation. This challenge was being mitigated by inviting (pluralism) other stakeholders to enhance forest management capacity. There was fear that the national government's inclusion in Loita forest management may result in inequitable sharing of power and authority and further weaken the community governance systems. This emerging governance regime lacks; a strategy for strengthening the capacity of the traditional community organization, legal framework, and some of the partners joining have extensive network and power with potential for disfranchising the traditional organization through introducing and or amending the traditional regulations to satisfy their interests. There is a need to develop partnership guidelines to guide the pluralism scenario emerging to support the sustainable management of Loita forest and ensure community traditional organization's transformation does not weaken or replace the community organization.