Participation: The Methodology of Social Forestry

Abstract

The participation of members of a community in the management of forests is what distinguishes social forestry from other types of forest management. In this chapter, the grounds for participation in social forestry programs are given. Terms that are often used to describe the participants in social forestry programs are used and differentiated. Most prominent among these are the distinctions between the insiders and outsiders of a community forestry program. The differences in characteristics, objectives, strengths and weaknesses of each group are presented. The levels of participation in projects are discussed. The participatory methodology is described, particularly that which fall under PAME, which stands for participatory assessment, monitoring and evaluation. Some tools which are used in the participatory methodology are mentioned and briefly described. These include sketch mapping, surveys and interviewing. The diagnostic tools used to determine the appropriateness of a social forestry program are presented.