Scale-Specific but Inter-Linked Strategies for Managing Forest Resource Conflicts in Ghana: Forest Professionals’ Views

Abstract

Constructive conflict management strategies according to forest professionals have the potential to minimise the prevalence of forest resource conflicts at different levels of scale in Ghana’s high forest zone. The paper therefore employed mixed methods in gathering data on conflict causes, prevailing and alternative conflict management strategies from forest professionals’ perspectives. Results revealed multifaceted forest resource conflict causes such as: i) weak implementation of policy strategies and actions; ii) absence of guidelines on crop damage compensation payment; iii) boundary disputes; iv) farmland scarcity; and v) local elite capture of social responsibility agreement negotiation process and benefits. It was also ascertained that prevailing conflict management strategies are diverse but strategies used are based on case-by-case approaches which lack clearly defined conflict management mechanism to redress the numerous grievances in the sector. It is in view of that the forest professionals recommended scale-specific but inter-linked strategies to be institutionalised in the forestry sector.