Co-management, rural livelihoods and sustainable forest management: A case of Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park Zanzibar-Tanzania

Based on the community's perspective, this research examined the effectiveness of the co-management practices to enhance sustainable forest management and improve the livelihoods of the local communities surrounding Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park (JCBNP) in Zanzibar. An evaluative framework for adaptive co-management and Integrative Framework for complex tradeoffs were applied to examine co-management effectiveness. Household surveys were used for 100 individuals from five selected villages around the JCBNP. Four (4) participants, civil based organization (2), state agency (1), and international organization (1) were also interviewed. SPSS 20.00 and Excel were used for data analysis. The results revealed multiple techniques such as joint enforcement and benefit sharing schemes. It was concluded that co-management practices have a positive role in fostering forest sustainability and the local communities benefited through tourism revenue sharing. Finally, co-management brought complex tradeoffs such as complexity in the preferences of livelihood interventions, which necessitate clear communication and negotiations.