Community Forestry
Livelihoods, Forests, and Conservation in Developing Countries: An OverviewBACKGROUND:Poverty is a huge challenge, with 2.8 billion of the world’s 6 billion people living on less than $2 a day. The paper highlights the alarming extent of poverty in developing countries and addresses the rapid deforestation, which compromises ecological integrity and exacerbates social inequities. The authors focus on exploring whether poverty alleviation and forest conservation can be aligned as complementary rather than conflicting objectives. Available with subscription or purchase |
Forest concessions in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala: A decade laterBACKGROUND:Over the past few decades, there has been a significant shift in conservation strategies from traditional command-and-control approaches to more inclusive, community-focused philosophies. This transition was driven by the recognition of the failures of strict protectionism, which often led to diminished ecological and institutional resilience. Simultaneously, the recognition of rural communities as both impacted by and impactful within natural systems has grown, advocating for incentive-based, participatory strategies to address human-environment conflicts effectively. Available with subscription or purchase |
Reforesting Bare Hills in Vietnam: Social and Environmental Consequences of the 5 Million Hectare Reforestation ProgramBackgroundAvailable with subscription or purchase |
Beyond Tenure: Rights-based Approaches to Peoples and ForestsBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Opportunities for Integrating Social Science into Research on Dry Forest Restoration: A Mini-ReviewBackgroundResearchers have well-documented the threats to seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTFs), including anthropogenic fires, climate change, and soil degradation. The widespread conversion of SDTFs to other land uses creates substantial opportunities for large-scale restoration and reforestation. While most research focuses on abiotic, environmental, and biophysical factors influencing restoration and secondary succession, researchers have largely overlooked incorporating social sciences or human dimensions into the restoration process, leaving a significant gap in the field. Open access copy available |
Effectiveness of community participation in Mangrove restoration: the evidence from northern Sri LankaBackgroundSri Lanka's mangroves, vital for protecting coastlines and supporting biodiversity, have been heavily damaged by human activities. After the 2004 tsunami, the government recognized mangroves as natural barriers against ocean surges and initiated restoration efforts involving community participation. Local organizations have mobilized people to help restore mangroves, but the outcomes of these efforts remain unclear. In the war-affected northern region, the government has focused on community-based restoration, but it's uncertain whether these communities have the motivation or resources to participate fully. Open access copy available |
Monitoring of large-scale forest restoration: Evidence of vegetation recovery and reversing chronic ecosystem degradation in the mountain region of PakistanBACKGROUND:Global forest area has decreased by 4.2% over the past three decades, highlighting the urgent need for effective restoration efforts. In response, Pakistan launched the Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation Program (BTAP) in 2014 to restore depleted forest ecosystems in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province through extensive afforestation and community involvement. This study evaluates the success of BTAP in reversing forest degradation by analyzing satellite imagery and vegetation growth trends from 2014 to 2021. Available with subscription or purchase |
Role of local communities in forest landscape restoration: Key lessons from the Billion Trees Afforestation Project, PakistanBACKGROUND:Forests in Pakistan have depleted over the years due to anthropogenic disturbances such as illegal logging, urbanization, and agriculture. The Billion Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa aims to conserve forests, improve livelihoods, and mitigate climate change by actively involving local communities. This study evaluates the effectiveness of BTAP, the critical role of farmer participation, and the factors influencing their engagement in the project. Available with subscription or purchase |
Tropical Forest Landscape Restoration in Indonesia: A ReviewBackgroundIndonesia has an exceptionally high amount of biodiversity and endemic species. As the timber industry has grown, deforestation and degradation drive biodiversity loss, air pollution, deteriorating water quality, and greater emissions. Restoration projects and policies are in place to balance ecological health and human livelihood across landscapes like the ones in Indonesia. Restoration projects are particularly complex in Indonesia due to land tenure clarity issues, disorganized institution, and other social aspects. The authors review forested landscape restoration progress in Indonesia and examines inhibiting factors in institution and policy as well as indicators of restoration benefits. Open access copy available |
Regeneration Status and Role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge for Cloud Forest Ecosystem Restoration in EcuadorBackgroundForests are a crucial component of global biodiversity. Ecuador has a long history of deforestation and forest degradation. Historical contexts such as colonization and governmental initiatives have shaped and will continue to shape the way people and forests interact. Emerging evidence supports the integration of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into ecological restoration practices in order to more effectively manage natural resources while incorporating the needs of local communities. The authors use this study to evaluate human disturbance impacts on cloud forest species and what TEK in the area can provide to aid in restoration. Open access copy available |
