Community-Based Natural Resource (CBNRM) Management Approach as a Tool for Sustainable Resource Preservation: Lessons from Jozani Forest, Zanzibar

Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) has become one the important strategy used for harmonising conservation of natural resources with community development; however, its success is primarily dependent on the quality governance, community engagement, and sharing benefits with the surround communities. Through a qualitative thematic analysis of interviews, field observations and policy documents, this study examines how CBNRM functions in Zanzibar’s Jozani-Chwaka Bay area. The findings show that participatory governance structures, gender-balanced representation, and collaborative partnerships enhance local ownership of conservation, while revenue sharing and livelihood diversification strengthen community support for protected areas. However, accountability gaps, misuse of funds, and land-use conflicts undermine legitimacy and threaten sustained community participation. The study concludes that CBNRM in Zanzibar can achieve long-term ecological and social benefits when empowered participatory governance is accompanied by strong accountability mechanisms and transparent benefit-sharing systems. The article advances scholarship by providing an integrated framework that demonstrates how governance legitimacy not merely institutional presence determines the sustainability of CBNRM in tourism-driven coastal contexts.