Redbud woodlands conservation status in Afghanistan: Implications for sustaining vulnerable ecosystems under multiple drivers of change

Abstract Afghan redbud (Cercis griffithii Boiss.) woodlands near Kabul, Afghanistan face continued impacts from multiple drivers of change, including urban expansion, grazing, illegal cutting, and the implementation of forest policies. In this study, we collected ecological and social data from three sites to assess stand characteristics, as well as community perceptions on the drivers of change impacting them. A survey of community perceptions revealed that while only 24% of respondents perceived that natural regeneration was occurring on redbud forests, only 25% perceived that the forests were declining in status. Respondents perceived that Afghan redbud stands were exposed to multiple proximate and underlying drivers of change, although these perceptions differed across the three sites. Ecological surveys of stand conditions indicated that although all three study sites were exposed to the pressures of urbanization, the intensity of wood collection differed among the sites. Differences in contextual factors, such as the availability of effective traditional institutions, socio-demographic characteristics of residents, and the availability of alternative sources of fuel seem to explain the differences in fuelwood collection among the sites. Following the collapse of the Taliban regime, the heaviest cutting was associated with stands where unauthorized construction of new houses by repatriated populations from Pakistan and Iran was most prevalent, while impacts were lower where alternative fuel sources were available and local institutions were effective. Given the challenges entailed in the enforcement of recent forest protection policies in Afghanistan, our findings suggest that a promising starting point for the sustainable management of Afghan redbud forests is the initiation of a community-based natural resource management approach that addresses local socio-economic concerns while engaging local communities in the decision-making process. Conservation programs in conflict-impacted environments should consider local government capacity and stakeholder motivations to propose practical alternatives to strict forest protection policies. Training local policing authorities to differentiate between destructive and sustainable natural resource management practices and educating local populations on sustainable use could catalyze improved environmental engagement.