Empowering women is essential for the success and sustainability of land restoration efforts in Cameroon, a country with rich ecological diversity but facing significant environmental challenges. This study examines how gender-sensitive approaches are integrated into restoration projects across the Bimodal Humid Forest, Western Highland, and Sudano-Sahelian zones, aiming to enhance researcher and practitioner engagement in gender inclusion. Despite women’s central roles in agriculture and natural resource management, they are often excluded from decision-making, limiting their ability to fully contribute to restoration. While women actively participate in agroforestry and tree planting, systemic barriers—such as restricted land access, limited resources, and leadership roles—hinder their involvement. Some projects have made progress in incorporating gender perspectives, but implementation remains limited. This study emphasizes the importance of gender-responsive project design to create more inclusive, effective, and sustainable land restoration initiatives.
Tag: community involvement
Refugee women grow trees to protect people and forests in northwest Uganda
This study explores the impact of deforestation in refugee settlements, particularly on women, who are often the primary collectors of firewood. The research highlights the dual role that women play as both victims of environmental degradation and agents of change. Through the case of Charity, a South Sudanese refugee, the study showcases how refugee women are taking the initiative to address the issue by planting trees and creating sustainable solutions to meet their energy and building material needs. Charity’s efforts reflect a broader movement where women, often marginalized in environmental decision-making, are leading community-based programs to conserve natural resources and protect their welfare.
Does the gender composition of forest and fishery management groups affect resource governance and conservation outcomes: a systematic map protocol
In the fields of environmental governance and biodiversity conservation, there is a growing awareness that gender has an influence on resource use and management. Several studies argue that empowering women in resource governance can lead to beneficial outcomes for resource sustainability and biodiversity conservation. Yet how robust is the evidence to support this claim? Here we focus on the forestry and fisheries sectors to answer the primary question: What is the evidence that the gender composition of forest and fishery management groups affects resource governance and conservation outcomes? Our objective is to produce a systematic map of the evidence highlighting, inter alia, the geographic distribution and quality of the evidence, the consistency and robustness of the findings, and where further research is needed.
Does the gender composition of forest and fishery management groups affect resource governance and conservation outcomes?: a systematic map
Background
Women often use natural resources differently than men yet frequently have minimal influence on how local resources are managed. An emerging hypothesis is that empowering more women in local resource decision-making may lead to better resource governance and conservation. Here we focus on the forestry and fisheries sectors to answer the question: What is the evidence that the gender composition of forest and fisheries management groups affects resource governance and conservation outcomes? We present a systematic map detailing the geographic and thematic extent of the evidence base and assessing the quality of the evidence, as per a published a priori protocol.
Methods
We screened 11,000+ English-language records in Scopus, CAB abstracts, AGRIS, AGRICOLA, Google Scholar, and Google. The websites of 24 international conservation and development organisations, references of included articles, and relevant systematic reviews were also searched for possible documents. A number of groups and individuals were invited to submit documents through email ‘call outs’. The inclusion criteria were that an article refers to women or gender, forests or fisheries, and a resource management group comparison in a non-OECD country plus Mexico and Chile.
Results
Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria. Four were qualitative and 13 were quantitative. Forest studies outnumbered fisheries studies 14–3. The majority of the studies came from India and Nepal and focused on forest management. All 17 studies identified improvements in local natural resource governance, and three identified conservation improvements when women participated in the management of the resources. Only two studies, however, were rated as high quality based on study design.
Conclusions
For India and Nepal, there is strong and clear evidence of the importance of including women in forest management groups for better resource governance and conservation outcomes. Outside of India and Nepal, there are substantial gaps in the evidence base, but the South Asian evidence presents a compelling case for extending the research to other geographies to see if similar outcomes exist elsewhere and supports a theory of change linking the participation of women in forestry and fisheries management groups with better resource governance and conservation outcomes.
From Tree Fellers to Planters: A Systematic Review of Forest Restoration Initiatives Involving Local Populations in Central Africa
Forest restoration is a key strategy in tropical regions for mitigating global warming and improving local livelihoods, yet despite significant international donor investments, its effectiveness in Central Africa remains poorly documented. This study systematically reviewed forest restoration initiatives involving local communities, analyzing 64 publications covering 26 projects, most of which applied agroforestry techniques and relied on exotic species. These efforts were predominantly implemented in the Democratic Republic of Congo (12 initiatives), Cameroon (11), Cameroon & Gabon (1), Rwanda (1), and the Central African Republic (1). Findings reveal that most restoration projects followed pre-established technical approaches without sufficient engagement with local communities, lacked monitoring and data-sharing mechanisms, and rarely incorporated prior consent, land arrangements, or benefit-sharing components. To enhance sustainability, this study recommends fostering genuine partnerships with local people, even if it requires adjusting project objectives, and establishing robust monitoring systems to improve future restoration initiatives. These insights are crucial for guiding donors and policymakers toward more effective, community-centered approaches that ensure long-term success in forest restoration efforts across Central Africa.
Is certification associated with better forest management and socioeconomic benefits?: a comparative analysis of three certification schemes applied to Brazil nuts in Western Amazonia
Nontimber forest product (NTFP) certification has potential to promote sustainable harvest and to bolster rural livelihoods. This research compares environmental and socioeconomic benefits of Brazil nut certification for 231 producers in 17 communities in the trinational border region of Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru during the 2006-2007 harvest. Specific objectives were: (1) to analyze differences in “best management practices” between certified and noncertified producers; (2) to identify socioeconomic benefits associated with certified nuts; and (3) to explore producer perceptions of nut certification. Organic and Fairtrade certification were associated with better postharvest practices and higher prices, while Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification was related to preharvest planning. Certification was viewed most positively in Bolivia, where producers gleaned financial and social benefits, moderately in Peru, and least positively in Brazil, where benefits were lower or nonexistent. Partnerships with cooperatives, donors, government, and nongovernmental organizations were essential to maximize conservation and development objectives.
Impact on incentives on the development of forest plantation resources in Indonesia, with emphasis on industrial timber plantations in outer islands
Implications of human-nature interactions for livelihoods andconservation in Kasungu, Malawi
Effective conservation strategies require a comprehensive understanding of human-nature relationships, including the factors driving these interactions. Without this context, interventions risk being impractical or ineffective, potentially leaving both people and nature worse off.
We used mixed methods to understand human-nature interactions in Kasungu, Malawi. We specifically examined people’s use of natural resources and perceptions of wildlife conservation and their implications for livelihoods and conservation.
Over 90% of participants reported collecting natural resources such as firewood, grass, medicinal plants and fruits to support their livelihoods. While most resources were collected for household use, some served both income generation and domestic purposes. Kasungu National Park plays a critical role in providing resources, though harvesting is illegal, alongside neighbouring farms and community forests. Households near the park, women and those of lower economic status were more likely to rely on the park for resources. Additionally, crop and livestock loss experiences were linked to higher resource collection rates.
Participants generally expressed positive attitudes towards wildlife and conservation. However, certain factors including proximity to the park, women, food insecurity, and crop and livestock loss were linked to negative attitudes.
Our findings offer valuable insights for the design and implementation of conservation initiatives and policies, particularly in communities heavily dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods. Conservation programmes and policies around protected areas should capitalise on the existing positive attitudes towards nature by fostering better community engagement. Locally led, inclusive and nature-positive programmes could simultaneously benefit conservation efforts and improve livelihoods.
Toward Resilient Rivers: Insights from the Kafue, Magdalena and Atrato River Basins in Zambia and Colombia
Key messages
- Forests and fisheries are interconnected, and both are impacted by changes in land use within watersheds.
- Watershed functions are affected by climate, land-use change, overfishing, deforestation and forest degradation.
- Riparian communities value watersheds but lack political structures for effective integrated management.
- Community-based governance of natural resources within watersheds can protect ecosystem services and support livelihoods of riparian communities.
- Even where there is little data now, actions can be taken to enhance monitoring and management of watersheds.