Attitudes of local people towards collective action for forest management: the case of participatory forest management in Dodola area in the Bale Mountains, Southern Ethiopia

The theory of planned behaviour was applied to study the attitude and intention of households towards participating in collective forest management (tree planting) activity. Households were randomly selected from 22 forest user groups. The results indicate that the success of planting activities in terms of survival rate of seedlings has a strong effect in motivating households to participate in planting. Although households in general show a positive attitude and intention to participate in tree planting, there were significant differences among households on the basis of socio-economic characteristics. Dependence on crop income, possession of bigger farmlands and better physical assets, and higher education level are positively related to intention to participate in planting activity. On the other hand, dependence on forest income is negatively related to attitude and intention. A continuous exchange of ideas and information between user groups and the government counterparts that provide technical support and advice is recommended.