| dc.description.abstract | The study explored the prospect of achieving emissions reduction for climate change mitigation purposes through forest management along with the pursuit of socio-economic needs of local communities in the vicinity of Asubima forest reserve. My zeal to ascertain the effectiveness of private sector management of multi-faceted reforestation endeavour for timber production, biodiversity restoration and climate change mitigation purposes was a major factor that inspired the choice of research question. Using interview guides, both personal and group interviews were conducted in Akomadan, Atrensu and Esreso with the intent to capture the views of local residents on the impacts of the reforestation project on their livelihoods. Purposive sampling method was used to select participants for interviews in order to acquire knowledge about how different groups had been affected by the reforestation project in Asubima. Data from the fieldwork revealed that the project had varied economic impacts on the local people depending on their occupations, gender and social status. In general, the perceptions and attitudes of individual informants were inextricably linked to how they had been impacted by the reforestation project. For the informants whose livelihoods had been negatively affected by the project, addressing their economic grievances would be critical for change in perceptions and attitudes. Most of the informants proposed a more active engagement between the private reforestation company and local stakeholders as well as the establishment of a co-management system involving the local people, government and private sector. They criticized the existing private sector management system which fails to involve the local people. Most of the informants believed that the viability of the project would be contingent upon resolving the legitimate concerns of the affected residents, providing the opportunity for active involvement of the local people and ensuring equitable sharing of the benefits of the project. It is my optimism that the findings and recommendations of this study will be consequential in their application to address some of the challenges which undermine global effort to combat deforestation in developing countries for climate change mitigation purposes. | |