Community forests strengthen rural livelihoods
Namibia's network of community forests continues to play a vital role in protecting natural resources while supporting rural livelihoods, with 47 gazetted community forests covering more than 93 400 sq km by the end of 2023.
According to The State of Community Conservation in Namibia Annual Report 2023, community forests are playing an increasingly important role in balancing conservation with economic development, particularly in the country's northern regions, where woodlands and bush dominate the landscape.
Unlike communal conservancies, which focus on sustainable wildlife management, community forests give local communities rights to manage timber and non-timber forest resources. The report says they operate under governance structures similar to conservancies and are often managed alongside them to strengthen community-led conservation and maximise available resources.
Namibia's forests provide a wide range of ecosystem services, including carbon storage, air filtration, soil stabilisation, biodiversity conservation and the protection of water resources. They also provide fuel, food, shelter and income-generating opportunities that contribute significantly to rural livelihoods.
The report says community forests also promote skills development, strengthen local governance and encourage greater participation by women in leadership and decision-making. Revenue generated from forest resources is often invested in social welfare initiatives and community infrastructure, helping to reduce poverty in rural areas.
Of Namibia's 93 400 sq km of community forests, about 19 600 sq km lie outside registered conservancy areas.
Meeting requirements
Before a community forest can be established, communities must meet requirements set by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism. Forest inventories are carried out jointly by the Directorate of Forestry and community members to assess available plant resources and determine sustainable harvesting levels.
These assessments form the basis of Integrated Forest Management Plans, which guide resource management, regulate harvesting and oversee grazing, particularly during droughts when forest grazing becomes increasingly important.
However, community forests have had to adapt since the ministry introduced restrictions on hardwood harvesting in 2018 to curb illegal logging. Timber extraction had previously been the primary source of income for many community forests, but reduced harvesting opportunities have prompted a shift towards alternative forest-based enterprises.
Government and development partners are now promoting the sustainable use of non-timber forest products, including marula, ximenia, mopane, mangetti and commiphora. While access to international markets for oils and other products derived from these species remains challenging, efforts are under way to increase local value addition.
Most valuable
Devil's claw remains one of Namibia's most valuable indigenous natural products, generating significant annual export income for community forests.
The report also identifies the proclamation of the Zambezi State Forest Reserve in May 2023 as a major milestone for forest conservation. The reserve expands protected forest areas in the Zambezi Region and is strategically located within the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area.
Four community forests share boundaries with the new reserve and are expected to benefit from grazing and harvesting rights as management plans are implemented.
According to the report, the reserve will strengthen ecological connectivity by linking conservancies, community forests and wildlife corridors. It is also expected to reinforce Namibia's landscape-scale conservation efforts while creating new opportunities for communities that depend on forest resources.
