Managing Uganda's forests in the face of uncertainty and competing demands: what is the precautionary approach?

Abstract

The sustainable management of forests in Uganda, and elsewhere in the developing world, presents a great challenge not only for forest managers but also for policy-makers. This is because forest ecosystems are complex, and yet the population is heavily dependent upon them as a source of energy, employment, livelihoods, government revenues, business opportunities, environmental functions and services (Republic of Uganda, 2001). Uganda is confronted with the problem of balancing forest conservation and forest exploitation. A major question being asked globally is: how can rural communities use their natural resources (community assets) to enhance community vit,ality, support sustainable livelihoods and improve their economic and food security, without overexploiting and degrading their resources?