The Decentralization Of Forest Governance

'This book provides an excellent overview of more than a decade of transformation in a forest landscape where the interests of local people, extractive industries and globally important biodiversity are in conflict. The studies assembled here teach us that plans and strategies are fine but, in the real world of the forest frontier, conservation must be based upon negotiation, social learning and an ability to muddle through.' Jeffrey Sayer, senior scientific adviser, Forest Conservation Programme IUCN - International Union for of Nature The devolution of control over the world's forests from national or state and provincial level governments to local control is an ongoing global trend that deeply affects all aspects of forest management, conservation of biodiversity, control over resources, wealth distribution and livelihoods. This powerful new book from leading experts provides an in-depth account of how trends towards increased local governance are shifting control over natural resource management from the state to local societies, and the implications of this control for social justice and the environment. The book is based on ten years of work by a team of researchers in Malinau, Indonesian Borneo, one of the world's richest forest areas. The first part of the book sets the larger context of decentralization's impact on power struggles between the state and society. The authors then cover in detail how the devolution process has occurred in Malinau, the policy context, struggles and conflicts and how Malinau has organized itself. The third part of the book looks at the broader issues of property relations, conflict, local governance and political participation associated with decentralization in Malinau. Importantly, it draws out the salient points for other international contexts including the important determination that 'local political alliances', especially among ethnic minorities, are taking on greater prominence and creating new opportunities to influence forest policy in the world's richest forests from the ground up. This is top-level research for academics and professionals working on forestry, natural resource management, policy and resource economics worldwide. Published with CIFOR

The decentralization of control over the vast forests of the world is moving at a rapid pace, with both positive and negative ramifications for people and forests themselves. The fresh research from a host of Asia-Pacific countries described in this book presents rich and varied experience with decentralization and provides important lessons for other regions. Beginning with historical and geographical overview chapters, the book proceeds to more in-depth coverage of the region's countries. Research findings stress rights, roles and responsibilities on the one hand, and organization, capacity-building, infrastructure and legal aspects on the other. With these overarching themes in mind, the authors take on many controversial topics and address practical challenges related to financing and reinvestment in sustainable forest management under decentralized governance. Particular efforts have been made to examine decentralization scales from the local to the national, and to address gender issues. The result is a unique examination of decentralization issues in forestry with clear lessons for policy, social equity, forest management, research, development and conservation in forested areas across the globe from the tropics to temperate regions. Published with CIFOR

Decentralization is sweeping the world and having dramatic and far-reaching impacts on resource management and livelihoods, particularly in forestry. This book is the most up-to-date examination of the themes, experiences and lessons learned from decentralization worldwide. Drawing on research and support from all of the major international forestry and conservation organizations, the book provides a balanced account that covers the impact of decentralization on resource management worldwide, and provides comparative global insights with wide implications for policy, management, conservation and resource use and planning. Topics covered include forest governance in federal systems, democratic decentralization of forests and natural resources, paths and pitfalls in decentralization and biodiversity conservation in decentralized forests. The book provides in-depth case studies of decentralization from Bolivia, Ghana, Indonesia, Russia, Scotland, Switzerland, Uganda and the US, as well as highlights from federal countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, India and Malaysia. It also addresses the critical links between the state, forests, communities and power relations in a range of regions and circumstances, and provides case examples of how decentralization has been viewed and experienced by communities in Guatemala, Philippines and Zimbabwe. The Politics of Decentralization is state-of-the-art coverage of decentralization and is essential for practitioners, academics and policy-makers across forestry and the full spectrum of natural resource management.

Many countries around the world are engaged in decentralization processes, and most African countries face serious problems with forest governance, from benefits sharing to illegality and sustainable forest management. This book summarizes experiences to date on the extent and nature of decentralization and its outcomes, most of which suggest an underperformance of governance reforms, and explores the viability of different governance instruments in the context of weak governance and expanding commercial pressures over forests. Findings are grouped into two thematic areas: decentralization, livelihoods and sustainable forest management; and international trade, finance and forest sector governance reforms. The authors examine diverse forces shaping the forest sector, including the theory and practice of decentralization, usurpation of authority, corruption and illegality, inequitable patterns of benefits capture and expansion of international trade in timber and carbon credits, and discuss related outcomes on livelihoods, forest condition and equity. The book builds on earlier volumes exploring different dimensions of decentralization and perspectives from other world regions, and distills dimensions of forest governance that are both unique to Africa and representative of broader global patterns. Authors ground their analysis in relevant theory while attempting to distill implications of their findings for policy and practice.

The book was written for three different purposes: (i) better understand the types of powers assigned to municipalities to this day, (ii) better understand the increasingly important role played by municipalities in forest management, (iii) analyze the opportunities that were created and the challenges faced by the decentralization processes in the region. The book compiles findings from in-depth studies conducted in 6 countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala. It uncovers some significant forest management schemes initiated by municipalities on the regional, national and local levels. The bookOCOs authors hope that their research findings appeal to departmental and municipal public servants, decision-makers, project technicians, researchers, international cooperation agencies professionals, municipal technicians, and organization workers and that they help them better understand municipal forest management."

Following the enactment of Decentralization Laws No. 22/1999 and No. 25/1999, and several Forestry Ministry's decrees issued in 1999, district governments throughout Indonesia were given a greater authority to formulate local regulations over forest resources. The District Government of Tanjung Jabung Barat in Jambi took this opportunity to introduce three policies regarding small-scale timber utilization and forestry revenues. This report begins with a normative legal analysis and basic evaluation of these policies. It then explores the district's policy-making processes and mechanisms for implementing district regulations and describes the functions and roles of the relevant district institutions. The report then fi gures out the players in the process and how they infl uence the policy Abstract agenda and at the end provides an analysis of the impacts of decentralized forest policies on local people, focusing on small-scale timber concession licences. This work is the result of research meant to generate information and analysis to facilitate negotiated recommendations for improving forest policies and policy making processes by supporting public input to shape the decentralized forestry policy agenda for the district, and help develop a forest management model oriented to increased prosperity and justice for local people. The research calls for the District to draft a new regulation on public participation in district policy making, with the policy objective of building consensus and synergy amongst local stakeholders by using appropriate public involvement mechanisms.

The decentralization program that Indonesia embarked on in 1998 continues to unfold through manifold, sometimes contradictory processes. This working paper presents a concise and up-to-date overview of the aims, dimensions and dynamics of decentralization