The privatization of the Nyungwe National Park buffer zone and implications for adjacent communities

We present a case study on the privatization of the Nyungwe National Park's buffer zone in which we critically examine the potential implications of a shift in management practice for local people. We present empirical data describing household collection of natural resources from the park, buffer zone, purchased from local markets, and private lands from areas adjacent to the park and buffer. Results show heavy reliance on wood from the buffer zone, with a larger proportion of relatively poorer households' income being derived from wood. Furthermore, semistructured interviews used to depict local perceptions of access to the buffer zone preceding the New Forest Company (a United Kingdom-based timber company) operations describe increasing difficulty in accessing resources due to greater enforcement. We conclude that the change in management poses substantial loss for local communities, in particular for the poorest households, in terms of resources from and access to the buffer.