Community-based Forest Management Research Articles

Community livelihood assets of forest village management in Nanga Lauk Village, Kapuas Hulu District, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract. Roslinda E, Sabathino P, Pratama YA, Supriadi, Eva J. 2024. Community livelihood assets of forest village management in Nanga Lauk Village, Kapuas Hulu District, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 25: 664-672. Village forest is a community-based forest management scheme in the social forestry program. At the same time, the management of village forest is local village communities that fulfill their daily needs by utilizing existing natural resources. Nanga Lauk Village Forest Management has successfully carried out activities on the social forestry program. This study aims to explain the livelihood system of the Nanga Lauk Village community to meet the family's living needs in managing the village forest. The study was conducted using a survey method in Nanga Lauk Village, Kapuas Hulu District, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, and the community was used as informants. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews guided by a list of questions, documentation, and a review of supporting literature. Data analysis was carried out descriptively, qualitatively and by Pentagon asset analysis. The assets owned by the people of the Nanga Lauk Village are resources of human, natural, financial, social, and physical. Natural and physical resources are the main assets used by society to meet life's needs, followed by social, human, and financial. So, the strategy that can be implemented is a consolidation based on socio-economic status. Meanwhile, based on activities to increase income, the community can apply livelihood strategies in agricultural sectors because of abundant natural resources. Skill training is needed for the community because a low level of human assets will shape the mindset of farmers regarding their inability to do other work on the side which should be able to improve their standard of living.

A Pilot Model of Community-based Forest Management in Xuan Nha Nature Reserve, Son La Province, Vietnam

This study evaluated the implementation of a pilot model for promoting community-based conservation through a contracting program in Xuan Nha Nature Reserve, located in Son La province, northern Vietnam, from 2014 to 2022. To assess the effectiveness of the program, in-depth interviews were conducted with 26 officials and 100 individuals residing in three villages. The findings revealed that the program successfully facilitated community-based conservation by involving local communities in participatory land use planning and forest protection at the village level. The study identified four main factors that contributed to the successful implementation of the program: (1) clearly defined objectives, (2) the establishment of a stable rule system, (3) garnering support from local people, and (4) promoting associated activities. Given these positive outcomes, this model can be applied and scaled-up throughout Vietnam, particularly in areas where local communities coexist within protected areas.

Enhancing land cover and carbon storage through rehabilitation of degraded lands into Wono: a case study of a small-scale private forest in Dengok Village, Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (1972-2021)

The implementation of degraded land rehabilitation programs and community-based forest management certification is widely recognised to enhance the status of wono land cover and aid in climate change mitigation. The expansion of the restoration efforts can be monitored using satellite images to track the progress of operations by observing changes in land cover area. Community forest certification also can enhance the success of land restoration endeavours. Therefore, this study aimed to show the change in forest land cover and the amount of carbon stored from 1972 to 2021. Landsat imagery was used to depict land cover conditions in 1972, 1982, 1993, 2000, 2008, 2014, and 2021, before and after the implementation of restoration and community forest certification programs. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index approach was employed for satellite images captured in 1972 and 1982, while the Forest Canopy Density method was employed for images in 1993, 2000, 2008, 2014, and 2021, to illustrate the progressive increase in wono land cover. Meanwhile, carbon storage was analysed from 1972 to 2021 using national carbon storage conversion. The results indicated that restoration activity and the establishment of community forest certification increased wono area and carbon storage, which totalled 55.90 ha and 5,499.04 t C between 1972 and 2021. Augmenting carbon storage within wono land cover constituted an effective strategy for mitigating climate change.

Barriers and opportunities regarding community-based forest management in Afghanistan: considerations for fragile states

SummaryThe Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA), in power during 2002–2021, initiated the process of instituting community-based forest governance and building local capacity for natural resource management. These efforts coincided with the presence of international security forces and the mobilization of civil society organizations, and they were in response to community aspirations to protect and restore often degraded local forests. Legislation was passed to enable forest protection and management, including a provision to encourage participatory management by local community user groups organized as Forest Management Associations (FMAs). By the end of the GIRoA era, c. 20 registered FMAs were operating with c. 400 others in various stages of development across Afghanistan. Our analysis of relevant policy documents revealed that the policy framework developed during the GIRoA era scores favourably on the ideal criteria for community-based resource management. Despite the change in political administration with the inception of the current Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan regime, the influence of the GIRoA era serves as a starting point and may have enduring influences on rural communities in Afghanistan and the natural resources that support them. Anecdotal evidence suggests that community-based forest management may persist under the current national leadership despite international isolation and funding constraints. The model developed in Afghanistan may be relevant to other fragile states, especially in contexts where rural forest-dependent communities have strong local institutions, such as shuras, and where forests are not prone to heavy extraction pressure.

Gender exclusion in Indonesia’s community-based forest management extension program

This study investigates the gender dimensions of Indonesia’s Community-based Forest Management (CBFM) extension program. It employs a mixed-method approach to examine women’s participation and benefits, highlighting gender biases in the extension. The findings reveal significant social capital within the CBFM group, while also identifying persistent gender exclusion in the extension process. Limited female participation in planning and evaluation, along with moderate scores in implementation and perceived benefits, indicate a neglect of women forest farmers in the extension intervention. Prioritizing women’s inclusion and empowerment, particularly through recognizing and involving them in the innovation process, proves to be as effective, if not more, than solely targeting men. While specific to this program and area, these findings inform future interventions addressing gender exclusion in community forest extension. Emphasizing gender-transformative approaches is crucial for meaningful innovation and the adoption of extension services.

Sustainability Evaluation of Mangrove Forest Management System of Tagbanua Tribe in Bgy. Manalo, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines

Community-based forest management agreement in the country is a needed instrument in attaining sustainability of mangrove management. Sadly, there is no assurance that the system implemented in the mangrove forest management is sustainable. So, evaluating the mangrove management sustainability of the local tribe is a viable avenue for the appropriate management. In this study, the sustainability of the mangrove management system of the Tagbanua tribe in Bgy. Manalo, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan was evaluated. The study utilized various criteria with relevant indicators of sustainable mangrove forest management in assessing the mangrove forest management system. Focused group discussions were conducted to identify the relevant sustainable mangrove forest management C & I and verifiers. Each indicator was rated using the formulated verifiers in the form of the rating scale. Through household interviews, FGD, KII, mangrove assessment, and secondary data analysis, this study also used a mathematical model on the Sustainability Index for Individual Criteria (SIIC) to evaluate the scores for individual criteria and the Overall Sustainability Index (OSI) of the community. As a result, there are a total of seven relevant criteria, and 35 relevant indicators for Mangrove Management in Barangay Manalo. Based on the individual rating of seven criteria, the overall rating of the sustainable mangrove management system is 1.80, which implies a fairly sustainable mangrove management system. Also, the computed overall sustainability index is 0.26, which is fairly or moderately sustainable. Each criterion has strengths and weaknesses and needs to be improved to have a highly sustainable mangrove management system.

Assessing regeneration strategies for sustaining intensively used Chilgoza pine-dominated community forests in Afghanistan

Income from Chilgoza pine (Pinus gerardiana) nut harvests, grazing, and the collection of firewood support forest communities within Afghanistan's Eastern Forest Complex. Persistent instability, frequent incidence of armed conflict, limited capacity of Indigenous communities, and inaccessibility to scientific expertise on forest regeneration limit options for addressing forest degradation. Representatives from forest communities in 16 districts in Khost, Paktia, and Paktika Provinces were surveyed to assess community user perceptions of Chilgoza pine regeneration status, forest protection, and acceptability of potential regeneration strategies (rotational stand harvesting, group seed tree protection, individual seed tree protection, partial cone harvesting, and integrated method). Human activity management, primarily via fine systems and forest guards, was widely reported and was regarded as important in managed forests. Respondents who reported current implementation of regeneration methods were more likely to regard natural regeneration as important and most regarding natural regeneration as very important reported the use of partial cone crop harvest as the prevailing regeneration method. Among proposed strategies, partial cone harvesting was the most frequently chosen option where regeneration was regarded as very or somewhat important. In light of the previously reported decline of forests under prevailing management practices, these results indicate a general awareness of regeneration as a forest management issue but also a significant gap among forest users in identifying the limitations of partial cone crop harvesting without additional protection for seedlings, as a potential remedy. We offer integrated rotational harvesting and grazing management strategies as a means to promote sound silviculture practices and provide a next step for community-based forest management to sustain Chilgoza pine. The context of this work in a region where tribal politics has limited outsider input allows it to serve as a model to address natural resource management issues in similar conflict-prone settings.

Implications of Forest Policy Changes on Investment Program Strengthening Forest Management Unit in Central Sulawesi

The forest investment program, supported by foreign funding, aims to promote the strengthening of Forest Management Units (FMUs) in implementing decentralized forest management in Indonesia. Ten FMUs have received funding from the forest investment program since 2017, one of which is FMU Dampelas Tinombo of Central Sulawesi. This program exited in 2022. During its implementation project, Indonesia’s forestry policy is changing, as are the primary tasks and functions of FMUs. This study examined the implication of forest policy changes on the sustainability of the FMU strengthening investment program in FMU Dampelas Tinombo of Central Sulawesi Province. This study was conducted from July to September 2022. Data was collected through interviews and focused group discussions with FMU managers and stakeholders. This study showed that the forest investment program to strengthen the FMU in Central Sulawesi had been effectively implemented but had not significantly affected decentralized forest management practices. Changes in forestry policy brought about by the amendment of the Job Creation Law and its subsidiary regulations have significantly affected the program’s performance and sustainability. The business development program promoting FMU independence must be discontinued because it contradicted the FMUS’ constitutionally mandated primary responsibilities and duties. FMU should optimize the governance function in achieving community-based forest management, which includes forest planning, facilitation, and technical guidance. Keywords: Forest management unit, forest policy change, governance, performance, sustainability

Formulating biomass allometric model for Paraserianthes falcataria (L) Nielsen (Sengon) in smallholder plantations, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

The forests in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia have been heavily impacted by logging, mining, fires, and other degradation activities for over 30 years. To address this, the Indonesian government has promoted community-based forest management schemes. One such scheme, called Hutan Kemasyarakatan (HKm), has introduced Sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria) in smallholder plantations in Rungan Barat, Gunung Mas, Central Kalimantan. However, accurate estimation of biomass is crucial for carbon sequestration credits, but there are no specific allometric models for estimating Sengon above-ground biomass (AGB) in this area. To create a site-specific AGB allometric model for Sengon, 23 trees were felled to collect fresh biomass data. Various tree variables, such as diameter at breast height: 1.3 m (DBH), total height, merchantable height, and stem bole volume were measured for each sample tree. The average wood basic density of Sengon at the study site was also calculated. A total of nine alternative candidate regression equations were fitted and tested to select the best-fit AGB allometric model. Also, to assess the adaptedness of the identified AGB allometric model, comparisons with the models from literature, and comparisons between two interchangeable methodologies (i.e. direct biomass allometric model and biomass expansion factor (BEF)-based biomass estimation) were undertaken. This study has developed a regression function, denoted as to estimate the AGB of Sengon trees in smallholder plantations in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. The formulated regression function demonstrated better estimation performance compared to common pantropical and regional AGB allometric models. In terms of the BEF-biomass approach, the AGB estimation derived from Smalian’s volume was relatively accurate, close to the mean AGB obtained by the formulated model in this study. In summary, this study proposes using the developed model, based solely on DBH, to accurately estimate AGB and carbon sequestration potential in Sengon trees. The accurate estimation of AGB using this model has additional advantages, including facilitating carbon credit acquisition and informing long-term management decisions.

Community-government, and private partnership (CGPP): revisiting the concept of community-based forest management

The Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) model has been seen as a potential solution to solve various problems related to forest degradation and the creation of inclusive forest governance. However, in practice, CBFM does not always implement smoothly, with some studies highlighting the weaknesses of CBFM in term of accountability, transparency, efficiency, effectiveness, empowerment, monitoring, law enforcement, and dependency on external actors. Accordingly, this paper revisits the concept of CBFM from the perspective of New Institutional Economics and the proper governance concept. The data collection process was conducted through literature studies using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) methodology. It may be argued that the implementation of CBFM has weaknesses in terms of, amongst other things, business and organizational activities, inclusivity, community empowerment, community income, and sustainability. In reference to the various flaws encountered in the implementation of CBFM, and to put in place proper governance in forest business activities, this paper proposes a new model – the so-called Community-Government and Private Partnership model (CGPP). This developed model has positioned the cooperative as "core institutions" whose role is to orchestrate five main governance functions, namely: organizational, business activities, human resource development, and corporate and environmental sustainability. This CGPP model is expected to contribute to the existing literature of institutional analysis and forest management with a different approach, as well providing concrete recommendations for the implementation of the CGPP model in CBFM.

Strong collaborative governance networks support effective Forest Stewardship Council-certified community-based forest management: Evidence from Southeast Tanzania

Research on community-based forest management indicates its conservation outcomes depend on local rule enforcement, extraction pressures, and community support. However, many community-based forest management projects, particularly in the Global South, also involve collaborative networks of non-state actors such as NGOs and private corporations. Many of these networks promote sustainability certification under programs like the Forest Stewardship Council. We report on analyses of longitudinal forest cover data constructed using satellite observations alongside inter-organizational collaborative governance network data constructed from archival sources, document analysis, and oral histories to assess how collaborative governance networks shape community-based forestry’s conservation effectiveness in eight villages in Kilwa District, Tanzania. Our findings indicate certified community-based forestry’s impacts on deforestation can depend on the composition and structure of collaborative governance networks. Using matched Cox proportional hazards models with geographic fixed effects, we find evidence that certified community-based forest management can stem forest loss as effectively as state-led forest management (in the form of National Forest Reserves). However, the characteristics of collaborative governance networks connecting organizations engaged in forest management in our study villages shape both which areas are selected into certified community-based forest management and villages’ overall deforestation rates. Specifically, we find that the more each village government’s organizational partners are connected to one another through bonding ties, and the more civil society organizations collaborate with each village government through bridging ties, the lower the village’s deforestation risk. More private sector organizations connected to village governments through bridging ties, however, are associated with higher deforestation risks. Our evidence highlights the importance of investments in inter-organizational networks for promoting sustainably certified community-based forest conservation.

Resident Perception of Forest Resource Management in Selected Communities in Ede South Local Government, Nigeria

This study examined residents’ perceptions of how forest resources are maintained and managed in Osun State, Nigeria's Ede South local government. The primary data were obtained by randomly selecting community members to receive questionnaires. The data was examined using cross tabulation, linear regression, and correlation.  The analysis's findings indicate that 86% of the respondents are already aware of the need to save forests. The respondents are 48 years old on average. The majority of respondents (67.1%) believed that if the government is allowed to control the forest resources, they can be managed more effectively. According to the survey, only 20% of respondents had a low level of understanding regarding community-based forest resource management. The majority of respondents (41%) don't know what they stand to gain from this strategy. 41% of them hold the view that the government owns the forest and should therefore be responsible for managing it, not them. In order to manage forest resources sustainably, community members should have the opportunity to participate in decision-making. Young professionals should also be involved.

A SWOT analysis of community-based forest management policy as a basis for REDD+ in Tanzania

In developing countries, the failure of the policing model of forest management whereby the central government protected forest reserves by preventing local communities from using them led to the emergence of the Participatory Forest Management (PFM) policy. In Tanzania, PFM takes two main forms; Joint Forest Management (JFM) in which central government or district council owns the forest and the local people are involved in conservation. Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) policy as the second form whereby community is given the right to own and use the forest in the general land. The paper discusses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the policy of community -based forest management in Tanzania. Among the strengths are the government structures with strong village’s administrative structure, willingness of people to participate in CBFM initiatives, community-village collaboration and ecological sustainability. The fact that the approach is exogenous both in conception and funding, inadequacy of technical knowledge at the community level, inequality in cost and benefit sharing, poor infrastructure and poor governance of revenue accrued from CBFM are seen as weaknesses of CBFM. Opportunities for CBFM include appropriate national policies and international conventions, and the existence of vast forest areas on general land that provide room for the implementation of the CBFM activities. Threats to CBFM include; conflict of interest with the district and higher-level government, poor governance, and human-wildlife conflicts. The paper concludes by suggesting the way forward for tapping the strengths and opportunities of CBFM and addressing its weaknesses and threats.

Understanding the role of scientific knowledge transfer in the women's participation and farmer activities in Central Java

The forest turns to agricultural land in the Serayu watershed in Central Java, Indonesia. The Strengthening Community-Based Forest and Watershed Management (SCBFWM) project aims to improve and expand the Indonesian government's community-based forest and watershed management programs. The study's objectives are: 1) investigate the factors that contribute to the successful implementation of scientific findings in everyday life; 2) analyze the potential impacts of alternative strategies for the development of farming systems in the watershed on rural livelihoods; and 3) analyze the rules and governance structure that organizes the action of actors and how decisions are made. We use the RIU (Research-IntegrationUtilization) Model to examine how scientific research can yield effective policy advice and decision-maker's role in transforming advice into effective problem-solving. The findings that emerged from the research demonstrated that the district government cares about the environment but does not prohibit upstream potato cultivation strictly. When the SCBFWM project was established, cultivation restrictions were implemented. The research on the importance of women's participation in watershed management was communicated to the district administration and included in the SCBFWM project's proposal, but the actual action was different. The RIU model demonstrated that high-quality science is insufficient without efficient integration and acknowledges the inherent divergent interests within science and policy

Community Based Forest Management License: The Urgency of Forest Management for Human Development in Indigenous Peoples

The position of customary law communities ' property rights (MHA) over customary forests has not been fully protected by law which causes conflicts regarding customary forests. Weak legal protection leads to discrimination for MHA, namely by loss of residence, loss of agricultural land, and even leading to punishment for defending its rights. In fact, the existence of Indigenous Peoples has been guaranteed in the constitution, namely in Article 18B of the 1945 NRI Constitution. However, in reality, the problem of property rights to customary forests is still often encountered and even boils down to human rights violations, namely the criminalization of Indigenous Peoples who are fighting for their rights. The postulate gives rise to two formulations of the problem. First, what are the problems with forest management regulation on the protection and empowerment of Indigenous Peoples? Second, How is the concept of forest management that protects and empowers Indigenous Peoples in accordance with the ius constituendum? To answer this problem, the author recommends improvements related to existing arrangements and the establishment of government policies as a concrete effort in enforcing the rights of MHA.  Existing laws must provide protection and protection of the human rights of indigenous peoples and be accompanied by customary forest management based on the Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) License as a mechanism in settlement and to protect and implement MHA.

Community-based forest management promotes survival-led livelihood diversification among forest-fringe communities in Uganda

Livelihood diversification is a prominent feature of rural households in developing countries. It is a strategy commonly pursued by households to enhance their resilience to shocks and/or risks that affect their livelihood. While a common characteristic of Uganda’s community-based forest management (CBFM) is the promotion of alternative livelihood activities to reduce household reliance on natural forest resources from gazetted forests, it is unclear how livelihood diversification has been embraced by households engaged in CBFM. We explore livelihood diversification using cross-sectional survey data collected from 423 households in villages adjacent to Collaborative Forest Management (CFM) compartments and non-CFM compartments of Budongo Central Forest Reserve as well as two Community Forests (CF) in mid-western Uganda. We quantified the levels of diversification and fitted a Gini-Simpson Diversity Index as the response variable in two Tobit regression models to examine the determinants of livelihood diversification among forest-fringe communities in CFM and CF sites. Our results reveal high levels of survival-led household livelihood diversification in the area, with an average household engaging in five livelihood activities that were predominantly on-farm or involved the extraction of forest products for subsistence. In the CFM sites, livelihood diversification levels significantly increased with household heads’ duration of residence in the village and membership in other social groups in the village. In villages adjacent to the community forests, only the household dependency ratio positively influenced household livelihood diversification. Membership in forest conservation groups did not significantly predict the level of household livelihood diversification. Given the current survival-led diversification that these communities pursue, we recommended that development and conservation agencies in the area and other similar sites of CBFM deliberately enhance household access to high-return on-farm and non-farm livelihood activities to achieve meaningful transformations in rural livelihoods.

Correction: Nagahama et al. Critical Aspects of People’s Participation in Community-Based Forest Management from the Case of Van Panchayat in Indian Himalaya. Forests 2022, 13, 1667

After publication of the research paper [...]

Barriers and Facilitators for Successful Community Forestry: Lessons Learned and Practical Applications From Case Studies in India and Guatemala

Internationally, numerous examples have been of efforts to promote community-based forest management (CBFM) through forest decentralization programs that promote forest conservation and livelihood improvements. Although there are successful examples, those efforts have been met with mixed success. This article proposes an analytical framework for evaluating the case studies of CBFM, highlighting the interconnection between community capital, land tenure, and markets. The analytical framework is used to analyze factors contributing to community forestry success focusing on two case studies in central India and northern Guatemala’s Maya Biosphere Reserve. We evaluate how the interplay of community capitals (i.e., community skills and resources), tenure, and markets is crucial for the successful replication of community forestry efforts. Specifically, we demonstrate that community capital factors such as social (bonding and linking), human, natural, and political; tenure factors such as a legal basis for rights, implementation of rights policy, community engagement in decision-making related to rights, withdrawal rights; and market factors such as market availability for the product, market accessibility for the producers, and profitability are the most important for facilitating and replicating community forestry efforts. Our framework can be used by nonprofits and policymakers to engage with community forestry planning as well as for monitoring and evaluation.

Allies for subsistence: poverty alleviation in community forestry limited by powerful actors

Over one billion people in the world depend on forests to meeting livelihood needs and more than half of them engage in community-based forest management. Community forestry has the potential of making important contributions in achieving the sustainable development goals; however, their positive effects on local livelihoods have been questioned. Actors, with their interests and power balance, can be important factors explaining the success of community forestry by shaping the decision-making process. Hence, the aim of our study was to analyze the economic performance of community forestry across the world, through its contribution to poverty reduction and explain how the economic outcome relates to the interests of the powerful actors. Community forestry from seven countries was analyzed including cases in Asia (Nepal, Indonesia, Vietnam), Africa (Namibia and Cameroon), and Europe (Germany and Albania). Data were collected with a sequence design method aiming to identify the participating actors and their power. A multivariate principal components analysis was conducted to capture the power dynamics within each community forestry. Results showed that community forestry programs do not always lead to poverty alleviation. The economic outcomes can be linked to the interests of the most powerful actors which in most cases do not desire a high economic outcome but rather promote contributions up to subsistence level.

Leadership accountability in community-based forest management: experimental evidence in support of governmental oversight

Leadership accountability in community-based forest management: experimental evidence in support of governmental oversight