Community-based Forestry Research Articles

Community forestry in the Czech Republic – A historical throwback or a step forward?

The rising level of complexity and uncertainty in environmental governance highlights the interplay between governmental and non-governmental actors producing various forms of sustainable forest management, including community-based forestry, in which the relevance of small-scale private forest owners follows. In urban peripheries, community forestry principles shape small-scale private forest owners' activities. On an analytical level of small-scale private forest owners in Mladá Boleslav urban area, this paper uses the assumptions of the pluralist theory of democracy and resource mobilization theory in the context of community-based forestry to investigate the perceptions of the mobilization of material, human, and socio-organizational resources. It is in line with the policy objectives in the State Conception of Forest Policy 2035 issued by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic. Its methodology is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews to gain in-depth results. The results showed that most small-scale private forest owners in urban areas perceived resource mobilization as a potentially beneficial mechanism for reaching a consensus and collective action. However, a functioning model for forest communities in urban areas is missing in the Czech Republic. This situation stems from the historical experience with socialism and the country's short tradition with a market economy. It implies historical prejudices and anthropocentric values among small-scale private forest owners. Lacking confidence in public policy processes and placing emphasis on interpersonal trust were also noticed during the research. The results open future avenues for discussion about the pathways for implementing community-based forestry models in urban areas in the Czech Republic.

Customary Forests in West Papua: Contestation of Desires or Needs?

The challenge of integrating ecological, economic and social aspects of forest management is still a critical issue among stakeholders who agree on community-based forestry and the rights of indigenous peoples. In West Papua, the contrast of abundant natural resources with serious social inequalities and structured poverty is a continuing challenge for implementing a social forestry program. The process of establishing customary territories in West Papua is an important milestone in recognising its community entities. Is this scheme definitively able to answer the interests of access and management of indigenous peoples? This can help in achieving the sacred goal of protecting 70% of the forest area. This paper examines the dynamics of forest management in West Papua by the parties in customary forests. The low area designated for customary territories in West Papua, which has only reached 2,554.2 hectares, and the absence of a decree on the existence of customary forests is a form of injustice to the interests of local communities. The social forestry acceleration program intended to end the uncertainty surrounding customary forests is still in process. The roles of both on-site and off-site parties have not been optimal in realising customary forests in West Papua due to the complex and incomplete translation process at the site level. The results of the review show that interest is still focused on achieving an indicative-annual figure, which is still dominated by the village forest scheme. Hopefully, this year's acceleration of customary forests will become a milestone in West Papua, based on mutual need and desire.

Can money grow on trees? Enhancing community-based commercial forestry in Indonesia

Can money grow on trees? Enhancing community-based commercial forestry in Indonesia

Strategic Pathways to Scale up Forest and Landscape Restoration: Insights from Nepal’s Tarai

Deforestation and forest degradation mostly caused by human interventions affect the capacity of the forest ecosystem to provide ecosystem services and livelihood benefits. Forest and landscape restoration (FLR) is an emerging concept that focuses on the improvement of the ecosystem as well as the livelihood of the people at the landscape level. Nepal has successfully recovered degraded forest land mainly from the hilly region through forest restoration initiatives, especially community-based forestry. However, the Tarai region is still experiencing deforestation and forest degradation. This study navigated the gaps related to forest restoration in the existing policies and practices and revealed that the persistence of deforestation and forest degradation in Tarai is a result of a complex socioeconomic structure, the limitations of the government in implementing appropriate management modality, unplanned infrastructure, and urban development. We suggest that forest restoration should focus on ecological and social wellbeing pathways at the landscape level to reverse the trend of deforestation and forest degradation in the Tarai regions of Nepal. The study provides critical insight to the policymakers and practitioners of Nepal and other countries (with similar context) who are engaged in forest/ecosystem restoration enterprise.

Evolution of Portuguese community forests and their governance based on new institutional economics

Forest governance is under reorganisation in many European countries, because of the changes in property and forest tenure rights. Portuguese community-based forestry is an interesting research subject from a New Institutional Economics perspective. Community forests (an important part of community lands known as baldios) cover half a million hectares in the north and the centre of the country and are owned by local communities. Their average size of over 400 hectares and diversity of resources underscore their value, and their management contributes to rural development. Recent laws intend for the complete transfer of their tenure rights to communities and local authorities. In this study, we analysed the transformational processes of Portuguese community-based forestry. To structure this analysis and shed light on forest management-related problems, we followed the 'four-level institutional analysis' developed by Williamson. Particular attention was paid to the first three levels. The first concerned social practice and informal rules. We are describing the history of baldios, their use by rural populations, and the subsequent occupation by the State for afforestation. The second level addressed the institutional environment and formal rules. Here, we focused on the recognition of baldio community properties and their legal framework development. The third level addressed management and the interaction of actors in transaction cost savings. Here, we examined the current community-based management models and future trends. In our analysis, we identified the causes underlying baldio management problems at different levels, which highlight the importance of new governance models and economic activities. The analysis showed that overall, the Portuguese community forest governance is a flexible structure capable of adapting to political and demographic changes and offering valuable support for the development of rural areas in the north and centre of the country. Additional empirical research is needed to improve knowledge on the impact of institutions on the management of community forests, both nationally and internationally.

Influence of property rights on performance of community-based forest devolution policies in Honduras

Devolution refers to shifting responsibility of forest management to community organizations, in contrast to public decentralization to local state institutions. Research on community forestry policies can aid in determining how property rights affect local governance structures. The objective of this paper is to analyze the influence of property rights on the application of devolution policies related to community-based forestry. The study included four sites in non-indigenous Honduras where forestry cooperatives were operating. Common property theory was used to interpret data gathered via value chain and sustainable livelihoods approaches. Results show that historical policy changes regarding land tenure recognition have affected community-based forestry initiatives. Recent policies have focused on the promotion of community-based forestry, which has resulted in an expansion in the area of devolved land. Nonetheless, de facto land tenure arrangements continue despite formal assignment of land. It was also found that these initiatives have been developed in areas where agricultural activities are less important. Strategies for inclusion of communities in forest management should not be based solely on the recognition of formal property rights. De facto ownership should also be considered when it is respected among local residents, as part of a local governance approach to forest management.

Where to put community-based forestry?: Reconciling conservation and livelihood in Lampung, Indonesia

Community-based forestry (CBF) has been promoted as a potential win-win solution for improving forest conservation and livelihood outcomes. Incorporating location-specific factors from participants’ perspectives in the design and implementation of CBF has been noted as an important prerequisite for ensuring positive outcomes. This study investigates benefits and challenges of CBF perceived by participating farmers in two Community Forests (HKM – Hutan Kemasyarakatan) in Lampung, Indonesia. Two sites were chosen systematically based on their distinct biophysical characteristics. Through qualitative assessments using interviews and focus group discussions with the farmers, we found that securing land tenure is the most important motivation for them to participate in CBF and abide by the government-imposed rules and regulations. Participants in both sites have experienced increased income, as well as other benefits, such as reduced fire incidents and illegal activities. However, benefits and challenges that the two HKMs face differ and are affected by their biophysical features, such as elevation, slope, proximity to village and roads. Participants, especially in the remote HKM in high elevation, perceive long-term and poorly monitored goals, such as reforestation, unrealistic. Site-specific and targeted technical supports are needed to identify overstory tree species that can also provide livelihood benefits. We argue for explicit considerations of biophysical features for CBF site designations and technical supports that meet site specific needs. This study provides a practical pathway to ensure economic benefits of CBF, which is an important factor for promoting CBF's success.

Tenure reform for better forestry: An unfinished policy agenda

The global community is currently grappling with multiple and overlapping social and environmental threats. These include the climate emergency, COVID-19 and the threat of widespread hunger, and the accelerating loss of biodiversity. All of these threats point to an urgent need to restore and sustainably manage land and forests. Studies are pointing to the critical role of tenure reform, and in particular strengthening collective forest tenure, as an effective means to reduce deforestation, mitigate climate change, restore ecosystem services and maintain biodiversity. Since the 1970s, countries worldwide have attempted to better recognize the customary rights of local communities. Yet despite over 40 years of effort, collective forest tenure reforms have yielded only moderate results. This article draws on recent assessments conducted in 23 countries by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on community-based forestry and associated forest tenure regimes based on the internationally endorsed Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (the VGGT). The findings suggest that governments are increasingly giving legal recognition to community rights to use both timber and non-timber forest products for commercial purposes. Yet, the tenure provided to collective forestry is less robust than that held by companies and smallholders in a number of ways. These include fewer legal protections, more barriers to the use of these rights, inadequate access to justice, and less administrative support in documenting rights. Furthermore, in many cases the existing community forestry legal provisions are not implemented. The relatively successful cases suggest that with robust tenure, communities and smallholders can be potent vehicles for moving towards sustainable forest management and mitigating climate change, improving local livelihoods, contributing to timber and non-timber product economies, and achieving several of the Sustainable Development Goals. But for this, governments will need to strengthen community and local rights within their legal frameworks and mainstream implementation in government policies and practices. Non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, donors, research institutions and academia can provide important support through policy implementation, research, and ensuring inclusive policy formulation processes.

Success in community-based forestry: is the community missing?

Evaluation of successful outcomes in community-based natural resource management has long been debated in academic and policy literature. Scholarly assessments of success in Van Panchayats (VPs) of Uttarakhand, representing the oldest thriving institution of community-based forestry in India, are also under contestation. Predominantly, success has been identified with forest conditions (ecological) and the workings of VPs (institutional). Although these assessments have been useful, the perspectives of the community of users in defining successful outcomes have been less emphasized. Drawing upon two phases of field-work in Almora, Uttarakhand we first use an interpretive approach in exploring the success of VPs through the narrative framings of its three primary stakeholders. Through qualitative analysis, we show the prominence of three contextual issues: human-wildlife conflicts, constraints to women's participation, and subsistence livelihood needs, deemed crucial to the success of VPs by the user's community. Using the analysis of household survey data and secondary sources in the second phase of field work, we then show the validity of the community's concerns raised in the first phase. As a result, we argue that evaluations of successful outcomes should consider interpretive approaches, involving the community of users, to uncover the local contextual conditions crucial to the success of community-based forestry.

Production of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and diversity of harvesting practices and decision-making processes in northern Thailand’s community forests

Previous research on community forestry in Thailand has mainly focused on its institutional dimensions. Comprehensive knowledge on the production of non-timber forest products and on harvesting practices and decision-making processes is therefore still limited, particularly in relation to community-based forestry. A survey was performed to estimate the production of non-timber forest products and to characterise the diversity of harvesting practices and decision-making processes in northern Thailand’s community forests. Field investigations were conducted once a month for 12 months in seven community forests in the Lainan sub-district in Nan Province, using a grid-based sampling technique. Production and productivity of the main non-timber forest products were calculated by total fresh weight. In-depth interviews were conducted individually with 231 local harvesters to understand their NTFP harvesting practices and decision-making processes. Young shoots of Melientha suavis, queen broods of Oecophylla smaragdina and edible mushrooms were found to be the three main non-timber forest products collected, with productivity of 2, 12, and 2 kg/ha/year, respectively. Harvesting practices were characterised as applied by (A) landless villagers, (B) small- and medium-sized landholders, (C) larger landholders, and (D) outsiders. Local harvesters displayed different decision-making processes in resource harvesting depending on periods of resource availability, the duration of harvests and the quantities harvested. These quantitative data on resource productivity together with knowledge of harvesting practices and decision-making processes among harvesters will provide input to a participatory resource management process to support exchanges of knowledge among local stakeholders and explore scenarios for appropriate rules of access so as to improve the sustainability of non-timber forest product harvesting.

Exploring perspectives in assessing the quality of governance of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) pilot project in Cambodia: Use of Q Methodology

Public and policy makers alike are concerned about national and global deforestation and forest degradation. These issues pose a significant threat to social, economic and environmental welfare. Attempts to prevent forest loss and increased attention to pilot REDD+ projects in community forestry sites would both deliver rural livelihood benefits and help to reduce adverse climate impacts. However, there has been no significant exploration of the viewpoints of local experts to determine the monitoring and action needed to support community-based forestry and improve the governance of REDD+ pilot projects in Cambodia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the perceptions of local stakeholders towards the quality of governance of the first community forest REDD+ pilot project in Cambodia, employing Q-methodology. We adapted 11 indicators of the hierarchical framework of assessment of governance quality to design 40 Q-statements related to REDD+ governance or achievements. The 52 P-set ranked these Q-statements with respect to the community-based REDD+ pilot project. Our study revealed that local stakeholders held four distinct, and partially opposite, views, that: (1) the REDD+ project is successful because it is inclusiveness and capable of causing behavioral change; (2) REDD+ pilot projects should be led by government, not external or locally; and needs more resources; (3) the REDD+ pilot project has raised unrealistic expectations, would likely be a source of corruption and will probably not be successful for local people or halting deforestation; and (4) the REDD+ pilot project is inclusive but not very transparent and probably ineffective at protecting forest. Through these four varied perspectives from local people involved in the project, we can see that there remain serious challenges to the future of pilot community forestry REDD+ projects, including the complex interaction between the multinational actors and the local socio-ecological systems. To move forwards, this study suggested Cambodia should make a pro-poor REDD+ program, implementing more community-based REDD+ projects which explicitly build the assets and capacity of the poorest households. This study also shows that Q-methodology can highlight the diverse viewpoints of local stakeholders concerning the quality of community forest REDD+ governance, helping policy makers, implementers and local stakeholders to better identify the challenges to be addressed.

Assessment of Portuguese Community Forestry using the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure and FAO Community-Based Forestry Framework

In the last five decades, Community-Based Forestry (CBF) has become a subject of special attention. It is assumed that the transfer of rights to local communities will improve forest management. In Portugal more than 13% of the forest area belongs to local communities (termed baldios). Following FAO tools, assessments of Forest Tenure and CBF were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of four baldio management types. The results revealed the most common challenges for baldios, vis-à-vis, rights associated with their management, protection of these rights, weak land administration, weak mechanisms for conflict resolution, problems with decentralized state support, cash flow management, and environmental challenges leading to wildfires, loss of biodiversity, and inadequate control of pests and invasive species. Resolution of these challenges is urgently needed at the legal, administrative and local levels. Future research should include assessments of CBF in other European countries to reduce the existing knowledge gap.

Community forest management and forest cover change in Lampung, Indonesia

Community-based forestry (CBF) is often cited as a way for improving livelihood of local communities while conserving biodiversity and mitigating climate change. However, empirical assessments of CBF outcomes are still lacking, especially for their biophysical conditions. This study investigates the extent to which a type of CBF practices in Indonesia, Community Forest (HKM), managed to maintain forest cover. We applied a propensity scoring approach to empirically measure the rates of deforestation between 2007 and 2016 for Conservation Forests and Protection Forests with and without HKM concessions. Our finding is that HKMs are less effective than Conservation Forests (e.g. National Parks) in reducing forest cover loss, but more effective than other similar forests without CBF management. This is a promising starting point for expanding CBF in Indonesia. We recommend: 1) explicit consideration of biophysical characteristics of CBF locations in designating future sites; 2) providing site-specific financial and technical supports for local communities; 3) utilizing remotely sensed data and propensity scoring for monitoring conservation outcomes.

Using Q methodology to investigate the views of local experts on the sustainability of community-based forestry in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia

Deforestation has become an issue of public interest and sensitivity in Cambodia. Community-based forestry (CBF) and the accompanying local institutional community forestry (CF) arrangements are increasingly recognized as successful mechanisms to achieve sustainable forest management. However, in most community-managed forestry studies, there has still been no significant exploration of the viewpoints of local people to determine the monitoring and actions needed to enable CBF to achieve sustainable forest management. Therefore this study examines the perspectives of local experts across a range of issues and challenges facing CBF sustainability, using Q-methodology. This paper adapted and used four criteria for sustainable forest management to design the 43 Q-statements to guide examination of the subjectivity of local experts concerning CBF sustainability in Cambodia. The 52 respondents were purposively selected from the 13 Community Forestry sites to Q-sort the Q-statements. The findings revealed that most local experts felt that the environmental condition (criteria I), the loss of forest, is critical but one factor strongly disagreed. Considering socio-economic benefits and needs (criteria II), there were similarly polar views about whether the community desperately needs external finance now or whether they have the collective will to act and need to show that first. Only one of the factors supported further REDD+ projects reasonably strongly; others valued eco-tourism opportunities. None of the factors ranked the quality of community-based forest management practices (criteria III) strongly although there was mild agreement about a lack of CF management accountability. There were contrasting views on the legal, policy, and institutional framework and governance (criteria IV), with disagreement about the importance of local enforcement, and quality of local communication and consultation. All agreed, however, that the current position does not give them meaningful ownership and control over forest resources.

IFAD Impact Assessment – Community-Based Forestry Development Project in Southern States (DECOFOS): Mexico

The territory of Mexico is covered by forests and wildland up to about 73% of the total territory (World Bank, 2015 and CONAFOR, 2012). This corresponds to around 140 million hectares, 80% of which are owned by communities and ejidos. Starting from the '80s, Mexico has experienced one of the largest deforestation rates in Latin America due to a number of complex socio-economic and political reasons which have reduced incentives to the sustainable use of forests with negative consequences for their long term conservation (Segura, 2000). To address and overcome problems linked to deforestation and forest degradation, the Community-based Forestry Development Project in Southern States (Desarrollo Comunitario Forestal en los Estados del Sur – DECOFOS) was designed and implemented from March 2011 to September 2016 with contribution from the Government of Mexico, IFAD, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and project beneficiaries. The project had two main components. The first component was mainly meant to raise awareness of climate change and of sustainable use and management of natural resources through trainings and capacity development. This component could be instrumental to achieving impacts when combined with the second component which had a more tangible connotation. The second component, indeed, consisted on promoting sustainable management and exploitation of forest and natural resources through reforestation, adoption of agroforestry and of good environmental practices, supporting and facilitating business enterprises through the provision of technical and financial support to the start-up of micro-entrepreneurial projects and small-businesses enterprises.

Impact of out-migration of men on women's participation in community-based forestry: insights from Van Panchayats of Uttarakhand, India

Increased out-migration from rural areas indicates a significant socio-demographic shift that is increasingly being studied for its impact on community-based forestry institutions. Previous studies in Nepal, Mexico and India have highlighted changes in community-based forestry institutions through increased participation of women following out-migration of men. Therefore, this paper analyses the participation of women in Van Panchayats in a representative sample of six Van Panchayats from Almora district, which is facing one of the highest rates of out-migration in Kumaon region of India. The analysis suggests there is low participation of women in the leadership positions of Van Panchayats despite landmark legislations to increase women's participation. Further, there was no statistically significant difference between participation of women from migrant versus non-migrant households in general assembly meetings of Van Panchayats, suggesting lack of supporting evidence on previous claims about out-migration leading to increased participation of women. Moreover, the position of women in the household (whether household head or not) was significant in explaining their participation in Van Panchayats, and other community-based institutions. The reported findings are relevant to the design of gender inclusive public policy on Van Panchayats as well as to the literature on impact of out-migration on community-based forestry.

Women’s participation and the gender perspective in sustainable forestry in Cambodia: local perceptions and the context of forestry research

We analyzed local stakeholders’ perceptions on women’s engagement in sustainable forestry and the challenges women face. We additionally examined the publication of scientific papers on women’s participation and gender perspectives in forestry research. We employed Kendall’s W to examine the concordance of local peoples’ assessment of the knowledge of rural women related to forestry, the major barriers preventing women participating effectively in sustainable forestry and the tasks required to engage women better. The study revealed only very weak agreement regarding the knowledge of rural women about forestry (Kendall’s W = 0.47, p < .000). Local people considered women knew most about sustainable forestry and use of forest for various purposes and less about the trees and forests. The study found moderate agreement (Kendall’s W = .118, p < .000) concerning the major barriers preventing women participating effectively in sustainable forestry, with the most significant barrier being low female participation in decision-making bodies. There was very weak agreement on the highest priority task required to engage women better in forestry management (Kendall’s W = .035, p < .000). Quantitative content analysis was used to analyze the scientific papers. From 1992 to September 2018, 537 scientific papers were published in 171 journals, with study sites in 83 countries, related to women and gender in 1) forest, 2) REDD + and 3) community-based forestry. The countries most covered by the research were: Indonesia (27 articles), India (39), United States (45) and Nepal (51). There was a significant increase in the number of papers on women’s participation and gender mainstreaming in 1) forest (n = 482), and 2) community-based forestry (n = 20) from 2007, and in 3) REDD + discourses (n = 34) from 2011. This study suggests further scientific research is needed on women’s participation and gender perspective in sustainable forestry and environmental concerns if the collective action needed for sustainable forest management is to be effectively addressed.

Community-based forestry and community forestry enterprises in quintana roo, mexico and petén, guatemala: how have policies, history, and culture shaped their trajectories?

ABSTRACTThe Mayan Biosphere Reserve in the region of Petén, Guatemala and the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico have well-established experiences of community-based forestry and community forestry enterprises within the area known as the Mayan forest. Context has been a key factor shaping the trajectories of these two cases. Several scholars have highlighted the usefulness of understanding the role of context in the emergence and functioning of common property regimes. However, scholarship has been dominated by the mainstream school of common property, which sees these regimes as arising out of voluntary, rational action with the main intent of conserving a common-pool natural resource. This paper seeks to answer the call for more research on context for common property regimes. The article discusses how policies, history, and culture have shaped the trajectory of community forestry in both countries. Policies present choices, opportunities, and constraints, while history and culture can facilitate or hinder taking advantage of such opportunities. Communities have agency not only to react, but also to adapt. These two cases present overriding themes that strengthen the alternative literature on common property regimes and also offer lessons to policy makers, practitioners, nongovernmental organizations, and communities practicing forestry.

Assessing the potential of community-based forestry programs in Panama

Community-based forestry (CBF) policies have been widely adopted as potentially-effective sustainable natural resource management strategies. Since communities can have local knowledge and a stake in the long-term sustainability of the resource base, CBF is thought to produce better social and environmental outcomes. In practice, though, successful implementation has been inconsistent. Panama, a country experiencing widespread degradation and loss of tropical forests and high rates of rural poverty, has been identified as potentially benefiting from CBF programs. As a result, prominent forest policy actors have been piloting CBF projects to assess the potential for upscaling. This paper reports on these initiatives and reflects on Panama's readiness to support widespread CBF program adoption. Using empirical data collected through key informant interviews, document analysis and observation, we apply an analytical framework originally developed for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) that identifies six “keys” that a country must possess to remove the major impediments to robust CBF. Based on our case study analysis, none of the keys to effective CBF could be assessed as fully present in Panama, and a seventh potential key labelled ‘Economic Viability’ was identified to assess market competitiveness and economic sustainability. Our results suggest that CBF's ability to drive sustainable rural development and forest conservation in Panama is likely limited. However, a dynamic policy environment and supportive government also suggest that the keys to effective CBF can be attained with time and effort.

Policy implications for community-managed forestry in Cambodia from experts’ assessments and case studies of community forestry practice

Over the last 40 years, it has been shown at the global level that sustainable forestry can be achieved through comprehensive forest management, with the decentralized institutional arrangements of community-managed forestry coordinated by effective policy implementation. However, there is still a shortage of evidence regarding whether community-based forestry is well characterized by forest policies, assessing what action is most needed and how best to address the challenges faced by community-based forestry in halting deforestation and promoting rural livelihoods. The study analyzed experts’ assessments of the characteristics and success of community-managed forestry in Cambodia and explored three case studies of community-managed forestry practice to identify priorities for addressing forest policy implementation inadequacies in halting deforestation and promoting rural livelihoods. There were two methods of data collection. Firstly, this study used a survey of 27 experts to analyze perceptions about how far forest policy supported community-managed forestry effectively, the major challenges faced by the national community-managed forestry program, and the community-managed forestry contribution to halting deforestation and reducing rural poverty. Secondly, data was collected by content analysis of three case studies to explore the knowledge and practical experience of local experts about community-managed forestry practice at local level. The study employed Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance to analyze the level of concordance of experts on related forest policies (n=15) considering community-managed forestry, the challenges faced by the national community-managed forestry program, and the actions required to enable community-managed forestry to support communities. Analysis revealed that experts were in moderate agreement, denoted by Kendall’s W=0.152, on how well forest policies articulate and implement the characteristics of community-managed forestry. Ranking of the major challenges faced by the national community-managed forestry program yielded Kendall’s W of 0.104, indicating the confidence in the ranking among experts was fair. There was only low confidence in the ranking of the action needed, with Kendall’s W of 0.055. Content analysis of the three case studies examining local experts’ opinions on the attributes of community-managed forestry concerning the access, local participation and protection of the sustainable forestry revealed that Attribute one ‘Local people have access to the forest land and forest resources’, and Attribute three ‘Local people begin by protecting and restoring the forests’, received high attention from local experts. Of lesser importance or agreement was attributing two: local participation in decision-making concerning the forest.