This paper by Sara J. Scherr, Andy White and David Kaimowitz lays out a set of strategies to promote forest conservation in ways that positively contribute to local livelihoods and community development in low- and middle-income countries. The authors fully recognize the critical importance of the ‚ "safety net"‚ functions of forests for the poor. But they also identify specific market niches where large numbers of low-income producers have, or could develop, a competitive market advantage. They identify important commercial opportunities for private forest industry, forest enterprises and business service providers to partner with low-income forest producers. They also explore alternative strategies to recognize, encourage and reward forest conservation by local forest owners and users. Real world cases described in the paper illustrate their potential and feasibility, as well as the difficulties to be overcome.
Critical to achieving these benefits will be removing present policy barriers to local market participation, in particular securing forest use and ownership rights, reducing excessive regulatory burdens, "leveling the playing field" for local producers in forest markets, and involving local producers in forest policy negotiations. The authors identify key roles in the strategy for local people's organizations and federations, for private forest industries and investors, for rural development and conservation institutions, and for policymakers.
Readers from all these diverse perspectives will find it of value. We believe that with strategic action over the next generation, local producers can play a much larger role in the forest sector, benefiting much more from forest markets and contributing much more to forest conservation.
MICHAEL JENKINS, DAVID KAIMOWITZ,
President, Director-General,
Forest Trends Center for International Forestry Research
