Whom it May Concern : A Case Study of Local Participation in Community-Based Nature Resource Management of the Mangrove Forest on Zanzibar

Abstract:   Local participation, especially in managing systems of socio- natural resources, has been promoted as the answer to the puzzle about sustainable development. Community-Based Nature Resource Management (CBNRM) is an approach that has generally praised as the way to support genuine participation of ‘local people’ and empower them through the process. This paper examines how local participation in conservation projects works in practice. To do this literature around the rise of people-centred conservation models and participation are reviewed. This information is then used to consider a CBNRM case study in Pete, Zanzibar to reveal actions that promote or constrain local participation. The conclusions of this paper suggest that without a secure means of delegated power or the ability to influence meaningful decisions it is unlikely that a community will mobilize itself for the sake of common resources. In Pete, the conditions around the establishment and operation of the CBNRM have not facilitated effective local participation, which has resulted in widespread frustration and uncertainty amongst the community.