Abstract
How are forestry decentralisations evolving in Latin America? What role are municipal governments playing, and to what extent are the needs of forest-dependent peoples being taken into account? This article represents a synthesis of research findings from Bolivia, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. It assesses current trends in Latin American forestry decentralisations, with particular attention to different conceptions of decentralisation, the role of sub-national governments and the problems of forest-dependent groups. With regard to sub-national governments, the research finds that the principal tendency in the decentralisation of decision-making over forests is through contractual arrangements between local or state governments and forestry institutes. For their part, forest-dependent groups are not able to improve their opportunity to engage in forestry-based activities without specific policies operating in their favour – beginning with secure access to forest resources – and such policy changes have most often come about in response to organised demands and in policy spheres outside of forestry.
Highlights
Local governments are increasingly important actors in forest management, due to a progressive move towards decentralisation of responsibilities and decisions affecting forest resources
Even when forest sector decentralisation is not part of national policy, some local governments have become involved in forest resources management without formal mandates to do so (Larson 2005a, Mearns 2005), and some are demanding a greater role in natural resource decisions, in contexts in which central governments still resist sharing responsibilities and control
That research has principally aimed to understand the new institutional configurations and balance of power relationships emerging from decentralisation; the implications for forest resources and for the welfare of forest dependent people; and the interactions between local governments and local institutions in place for managing natural resources
Summary
This article represents a synthesis of research findings from Bolivia, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua It assesses current trends in Latin American forestry decentralisations, with particular attention to different conceptions of decentralisation, the role of sub-national governments and the problems of forest-dependent groups. With regard to sub-national governments, the research finds that the principal tendency in the decentralisation of decision-making over forests is through contractual arrangements between local or state governments and forestry institutes. Il évalue les différents courants dans la décentralisation de la foresterie en Amérique Latine, en portant une attention particulière sur les diverses conceptions de la décentralisation, le rôle des gouvernements sous-nationaux, et les problèmes des groupes dépendant de la forêt. En la mayor parte de los casos, sólo se ha logrado este tipo de cambio de política en respuesta a demandas organizadas y además en campos que no incluyen el forestal
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