Determinants of Household Participation in Nontimber Forest Product Collection in Kalu District, Northeast Ethiopia

This study explores household participation in the collection of nontimber forest products (NTFPs) in Kalu district, Northeast Ethiopia, highlighting their critical role in local livelihoods and sustainable forest management. The primary issue is the over‐reliance on and unsustainable harvesting of NTFPs by households, driven by socioeconomic needs and environmental pressures, which risks biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation in Kalu district. To address this, an assessment was conducted to understand household participation and identify the socioeconomic and environmental determinants influencing the collection of NTFPs in Kalu district, Ethiopia. Three kebeles, Ancharo, Keteteya, and Gedero, were purposively selected based on NTFP availability, household dependence, and accessibility. A total of 149 households were randomly sampled proportionally across these kebeles. Data were gathered through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, direct observations, and structured household surveys and analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Findings revealed six primary NTFP categories used by households: energy resources, medicinal plants, household utensils, wild edible plants, wild spices, and fodders. Household participation was significantly and positively affected by gender and household size, while distance from forests and markets negatively influenced NTFP collection practices. The research provides insights for sustainable management, policy formulation, and community‐based conservation efforts to balance ecological preservation with socioeconomic development.