Assessment of Households’ Perception Towards Participatory Forest Management the Case of Heban Arsi Woreda, Ethiopia

Understanding the perceptions of local communities towards participatory forest management (PFM) is essential for successful improvements PFM regarding conservation and livelihood improvement. However, there a lack research evidence on perception intervention. To better understand communities’ PFM, 131 households were surveyed. Data collected through household survey; key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussion (FGD), analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results show that perceived no deforestation due to intervention which leads increment species diversity, increasing coverage, increased productivity forest, increase valuable species. Respondents also has opportunities change negative attitude positive giving power community, enables bounded members, bringing right exclude non-PFM creates sense belongingness, encourage use products. The finding demonstrated income was second contributor among sources. Actions such as protection existing forests avoid overuse, access alternative diversification, market, skills knowledge collection products reforestation suggested benefits PFM. study suggests further improvement attitudes well providing alternatives improve conditions livelihood.