Over the past 40 years, several countries in the world have adopted different models of community-based forestry (CBF). Community-based forestry (CBF) includes “initiatives, sciences, policies, institutions and processes that are intended to increase the role of local people in governing and managing forest resources”. In practice, CBF is used as an umbrella term that describes a spectrum of regimes that includes participatory conservation, join forest management, community forestry with limited devolution, community forestry with full devolution and private forestry.
In 2016, FAO undertook a global review of CBF. The review confirmed that CBF remain a potent vehicle to protect and enhance natural capital, build social/institutional, human and financial capital. It concluded that CBF often does not achieve its potential. Despite this, there are numerous noteworthy community-based forestry initiatives that can serve as excellent models for current and future projects.
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