Contested Landscapes: Politics of Space and Belonging in Land-Use Planning in Bvumba Forest Along the Zimbabwe-Mozambican Border

The Bvumba Forest in Manicaland has become a very contentious environment as a direct result of the reconfiguration of the landscape, which has led to a redefinition of the political areas. The purpose of this study is to identify the reemerging landscapes in the Bvumba Forest, analyze the contestations surrounding the landscape changes, and evaluate the solutions that have been pleaded for to deal with the overarching difficulties. This research was conducted using a qualitative research methodology called content analysis, and it took an interpretive approach to data presentation. The findings showed that the Bvumba Forest had been made into a political space through the use of speech, which is what made it a site of conflict. This has consequently resulted in a redefining of the emerging social relations, which has now resulted in the local inhabitants becoming estranged from their customary forest rights. According to the study, policymakers should engage stakeholders to initiate inclusive governance in the Bvumba Forest.