from resistance to proposals for sustainable use community-based forest governance

The document argues that community-based forest governance (CFG) is essential for halting unprecedented forest destruction, which it attributes to consumerism, unfair distribution of goods, and colonial legacies. It defines CFG as the collective regulations and practices used by communities for the conservation and sustainable use of forests, contrasting this with 'forest science' models that often facilitate devastation. The report identifies key characteristics of successful CFG, including clear boundary definition, traditional resource knowledge, and participatory regulation. It highlights the critical role of women, who often possess distinct knowledge of non-timber forest products and water protection, and emphasizes that their inclusion is vital for holistic governance. Through various case studies, the document illustrates the struggle for land tenure and the impact of industrial pressures, such as palm oil in Indonesia and pulp production in Brazil. It further critiques the role of International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and environmental services markets, arguing that the commodification of nature often privatizes heritage and marginalizes the poor. Finally, it links forest conservation to food sovereignty, public health, and disaster resilience, proposing a shift toward local production and fair timber markets.

• Global forest loss has reached an unprecedented scale, with more than half of the world's forests disappearing and over 12 million hectares lost annually at the start of the 21st century, including approximately 8 million hectares of tropical forest.
• Successful community-based forest governance (CFG) is characterized by several decisive factors: clear area boundaries, precise community knowledge of resource characteristics, a long-term vision for the future, participatory design of regulations, effective monitoring systems, conflict resolution mechanisms, and legal recognition by the state.
• Gender roles significantly influence forest use; women often focus on protecting essential products for community well-being, such as fuel wood, medicinal plants, and water sources, rather than income-generating activities, making their specific knowledge vital for sustainable governance.
• Industrial 'selective logging' is often a destructive precursor to total deforestation, as it uses heavy machinery that compacts soil and causes extensive collateral damage, with up to 30 trees seriously damaged for every one tree cut.
• International Financial Institutions (IFIs), specifically the World Bank and IMF, are accused of facilitating forest destruction through Structural Adjustment Programs and loans to monoculture and pulp industries, such as the $50 million loan to Aracruz in Brazil.
• Environmental services markets, including carbon credits, risk privatizing natural heritage and forcing marginalized communities to pay for resources they have historically conserved, while often failing to provide sustainable benefits without strong public policy.
• Forests are critical for climate change adaptation and disaster mitigation; for example, mangrove belts can absorb 30% to 40% of the force of tsunami or typhoon waves, as seen in the Ranong area of Thailand and Pichavaram in India.
• Land tenure is the root cause of tropical forest destruction, as national governments often ignore ancestral rights to grant logging, mining, or agricultural concessions to corporate interests.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (n.d.). from resistance to proposals for sustainable use community-based forest governance. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/community-based-forest-governance.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. from resistance to proposals for sustainable use community-based forest governance. n.d. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/community-based-forest-governance.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=from resistance to proposals for sustainable use community-based forest governance |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/community-based-forest-governance.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternationalndfrom, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{from resistance to proposals for sustainable use community-based forest governance}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/community-based-forest-governance.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }