Abstract:
Assessing the socio-economic sustainability of small scale forest plantations provides the basis
for monitoring compliance with sustainable forest management principles and prescription of
appropriate interventions. Considering that state forest plantations in South Africa have been
scheduled for transfer to community-based entities, determination of the potential of alternative
forest management types is vital. This study therefore assessed the socio-economic sustainability
of current forest management strategies in state forest plantations at Gaba and Rossbach in
Limpopo Province of South Africa. It also determined the potential of alternative forest
management regimes using perceptions of local communities. Summated rating scales principles
were applied by using likert scaling to acquire the perceptions of local communities through
scoring of indicators and verifiers. While the local community for Rossbach forest plantation was
content with all indicators of socio-economic sustainability, the local community for Gaba was
discontent with provision of products and the forest plantation‟s contribution to their livelihoods.
Both communities perceived joint forest management to be the optimal forest management
regime across all indicators while expressing total lack of confidence in managing the forest
plantations communally. Optimal socio-economic sustainability in the post-transfers era can be
achieved through joint decision-making and formalized sharing of responsibilities and benefits
between the communities and government.
