Community forestry
[2][3] Many projects aim to protect community livelihoods, enhance resource access, reduce poverty, or promote sustainable land management, however, these initiatives can face many challenges in practice.
For example, in pre-colonial Africa, community-managed forests served as critical sources of food, medicine, and cultural heritage, governed through traditional norms and local leadership structures.
[4] Similarly, before enclosure or other land privatization efforts, European commons allowed communities to access forests for grazing, fuelwood, and construction materials under shared use.
In regions such as India, colonial forestry policies prioritized timber extraction and commercial gains, often displacing indigenous communities and undermining traditional knowledge.
[8] However, a study by the Overseas Development Institute has shown that the technical, managerial and financial requirements stipulated by community forestry frameworks are often incompatible with local realities and interests.
For example, Mexico’s community forest enterprises (CFEs) demonstrated that decentralized governance could generate substantial economic benefits while maintaining ecological integrity.
Models such as Nepal’s Forest User Groups show how local empowerment can lead to improved conservation outcomes and equitable resource distribution.
In Mozambique, community forestry laws have helped formalize tenure arrangements, enabling local groups to manage forests and participate in carbon trading markets.
However, challenges such as unclear boundaries, elite capture, and weak enforcement persist in many land tenure systems, threatening the viability of community forestry projects and creating uncertainty in terms of resource access.
In Latin America, Mexico’s ejido system provides a notable example of how collective tenure arrangements can support long-term resource management and economic development.
For example, Nepal’s community forestry programs have successfully regenerated forest areas while supporting local livelihoods, demonstrating resilience in the face of environmental and economic challenges.
[15] This comprises the establishment of tree nurseries, seedling distribution, ordination activities, composting schemes and a vegetable garden, which is used to promote sustainable living and conservation.
For example, Indonesia’s Hutan Desa program enables communities to manage forests under state supervision, promoting conservation while addressing rural poverty.
Aligning household and market incentives is central to community forestry management systems, and has potential to foster economic growth, ecological sustainability, and social cohesion.
These groups often reinvest revenues into community infrastructure, such as schools, water systems, and renewable energy projects, fostering broader socio-economic development.
[7] In Mexico, community forest enterprises (CFEs) not only generate significant economic returns through timber production but also invest in local job creation, housing, and education programs.
[10][25] In the Philippines, community-managed agroforestry projects have helped restore degraded lands while providing communities with steady incomes from crops such as coffee, cacao, and fruits.
[13] Latin America offers further evidence of environmental success, with Brazil’s co-managed forests in the Amazon acting as biodiversity hotspots while supporting sustainable livelihoods.
For example, in the Amazon, co-management efforts have faced criticism for failing to adequately represent marginalized groups, such as women and indigenous populations, in decision-making processes.
[4][12] To address these challenges, experts advocate for legal reforms that prioritize tenure security, enhance community rights, and establish conflict-resolution mechanisms.
This system demonstrates the desirable mix of top-down and bottom-up planning ensuring government control as well as effective reforestation through active community participation.
By granting communities legal ownership and management rights, the program has enabled local populations to derive economic benefits from timber and non-timber forest products while conserving biodiversity.
These groups, composed of local households, are responsible for managing designated forest areas, ensuring sustainable resource use, and distributing benefits equitably.
For example, the initiative has led to significant forest regeneration, increased household incomes, and strengthened social cohesion, setting a benchmark for community forestry globally.
[30][7] In the Philippines, NGO-facilitated community forestry projects combine agroforestry with ecotourism to restore degraded landscapes and provide economic opportunities.
