The proper management of the KS teak forests has been constrained by annual decline in government grants to the FC. This has been exacerbated by the FC’s failure to capitalise on the increasing demand for high valued products such as timber and wildlife in terms of its failure to charge commercial fees for the forest resources. The FC has also received little government support in its endeavour to find a lasting solution to illegal settlements in the forests. According to the provisions of the current Forest Act, settlements in protected forests are illegal. This requires the FC to look again at these provisions in terms of its powers to make by-laws with respect to forest settlements and the concept of joint forest management.
There is an acute shortage of staff to manage the KS teak forests. Only 11 foresters and 30 forest guards are available to manage and protect 840 000 ha. While the FC is gradually moving towards a people-oriented management approach for protected forests, the institution does not have a social forestry specialist to drive the process, a situation that is hindering progress in this sphere.
Perhaps the greatest constraint in the management of the KS teak forests is conflict of interest between forest users and the FC. While some actors are working towards managing the forests for conservation and sustainable use, the interests of the local communities, whose aim is immediate benefit, cannot be met. Currently, forest regulations forbid any form of unauthorised use of the forests, but communities have been consistently breaking the regulations and destroying the forests. The FC responds to these infractions through high-handed policing that often results in increased conflicts and hostility.
