Identifying the Interview Sample and Interview Techniques: MMCT,

Forestry Department

Through my initial contacts introduced to me by Dr. Carr, Dr. McCusker, and Dr. Fisher I was able to learn who the pertinent Forestry Department officials were who would have knowledge of the overall management strategies for the reserve and of relations with other involved organizations. These officials were the District Forestry Officer (DFO) and two Assistant District Forestry Officers. Because of other obligations of the DFO I spoke primarily with the assistant DFO’s. Similar to my interview

techniques in the villages, I began with a set of pre-written questions, however with these interviews the questions often evolved into more conversation-like discussions. Some of the starting questions included:

 When was the MMFR established?

 Did the management of the reserve change significantly after independence?  Why did MMCT come to have a role in the reserve’s management?

 How does the interaction between MMCT and the Forestry Department work?  How would you describe the relationship between MMCT and the Forestry

Department?

 What are the main objectives of the Forestry Department?  What are the main challenges facing the MMFR?

 Where are guards monitoring the reserve?

 Are consequences the same for those that poach cedar as they are for those that

poach other species of trees?

 Is charcoal making a large problem in this area?

All of the discussions with Forestry Department personnel took place at the offices of the Likhubula Forestry Station. FD personnel, while cooperative, tended to be quite formal during the interviews and did not initiate many new lines of inquiry. These respondents were open to answering my questions as best they were able, although their answers concerning the relationship between FD and MMCT were quite brief and polite (i.e. “things used to be not so good but now they are better”).

MMCT

Through the documentary research I conducted prior to traveling to Malawi I was able to identify key persons working for the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust that I wished to speak to further. My primary goal was to meet with Carl Bruessow, the director of MMCT, who has had previous dealings with Dr. Carr, Dr. McCusker, and Dr. Fisher. When I first came to the offices of MMCT in October of 2011 to introduce myself and my project, Mr. Bruessow was not available and so I was directed to speak with two other officials there, Mr. David Nangoma, the Biodiversity and Conservation Research and Monitoring Specialist at MMCT, and Mr. Moffat Kayembe, a program officer with MMCT. When hearing of my intention to conduct research with local communities around the mountain, Mr. Kayembe voiced concerns with past projects that had taken place in the area, stating that data that had been collected during those projects and their results had not been readily shared with MMCT. He made it clear that he was skeptical

about becoming overly involved with another research project, but was still willing to talk with me.

After speaking with Mr. Kayembe, I was directed to Mr. Nangoma to discuss my intended project further. During this meeting, I explained what I would be doing for this project including interviews with local residents and hopefully accompanying women to the forest on paths they use to fetch firewood, talking with MMCT, the Forestry

Department, and other local agencies. Mr. Nangoma informed me that in order to conduct this research that I would need to apply for another permit from the national research council in Malawi, that the permit signed by the District Commissioner was no longer sufficient for me to be allowed to carry out the work. He uploaded some files for me onto my portable hard drive to look at for documents outlining the applications I would need to submit. When I looked at the files on my computer, however, I found that only research involving the collection of genetic (wildlife or botanical) specimens, or those projects seeking small research grants from MMCT were required to have any additional approvals from the national research council. My findings were confirmed by my initial Malawian contact Dr. James Chimphamba who explained that the authority of the District Commissioner was the highest in the region and that MMCT had no authority to postpone my research or require additional permits. The next time I spoke to Mr.

Nangoma was when he phoned to inquire about how I was progressing, I explained that I had found that I would only need additional permits if I was collecting genetic material and so I was carrying on with my research as planned and that I looked forward to talking with him in the future.

After this initial contact the only meetings with MMCT that I attempted to hold were with Mr. Bruessow, as I felt I could gain the most direct answers from him regarding my research questions. The issue of additional permissions came up again in February, 2011 when I met with Mr. Bruessow and Mr. Nangoma (at Mr. Bruessow’s suggestion). I was informed that there had been a recent meeting of a research sub- committee of MMCT that meets occasionally to discuss primarily the natural science research being conducted at Mt. Mulanje. One of the attendees of this meeting was a representative from the National Research Committee. Mr. Bruessow and Mr. Nangoma told me that they had mentioned my research during the meeting and that the National Research Committee member stated that they were supposed to be aware of all natural science as well as of all social science research being carried out in Malawi. Mr. Nangoma gave me the contact information of the representative from the National Research Committee, however Mr. Bruessow, acknowledging that MMCT had no authority to enforce permitting, advised that I should have our colleague Mr.

Chimphamba inquire with the committee on my behalf to better understand what was needed. When Mr. Chimphamba inquired about the matter he was told that since my research was social science research the only other type of permit that I would need would be an access permit from the Forestry Department to take with me if I entered the reserve in case I met a guard while there, that there were no further national permits that I was required to have.

Unfortunately, the issue of unnecessary permits and permissions came to

dominate much of the conversations that I was able to schedule with officials at MMCT. However, I was able to discuss issues pertaining more to the research itself in the course

of the project with Carl Bruessow. These discussions were more conversational in

manner than a formal interview but the following pre-written questions did provide points of reference for the dialogue.

 What prompted the creation of MMCT?

 How was the structure of MMCT decided? Who was in charge of developing that

structure?

 How is MMCT funded?

 What are the main threats to the MMFR?

 How is MMCT working or planning to work with other groups like the

MOBI+LISE project?

 What are the forest co-management programs?

 What communities have been involved in co-management agreements?  What are challenges faced when working with the Forestry Department?

All of these discussions took place at the MMCT headquarters between the Mulanje boma and the Chitikale trading center. Mr. Bruessow was very open with his information and did not seem uncomfortable discussing any topic, even the strained relationship that had been present with the FD in the past.

MOBI+LISE

I had no knowledge of the existence of the MOBI+LISE project prior to traveling to Malawi as it was not mentioned in any publication or grey literature that I obtained during the documentary research. I only learned about the project from acquaintances I met after arriving and it took some time to arrange a meeting with anyone from the program. I was however able to obtain an interview with the Project Manager Mr.

Lansen Chikopa. This interview took place at the MOBI+LISE office in Chitikale. This turned out to be the only meeting I was able to arrange with the MOBI+LISE project due to the majority of their operations taking place in the field and their staff being quite small. However, I was able to obtain several helpful documents (as listed in the last chapter) that provide further explanations of the goals and practices of the organization. These documents, along with other information from MMCT, form the basis for my descriptions of the MOBI+LISE project and the work they have been conducting in Mulanje.