Following many years of poor forest management under central government control, governments in Latin America, Asia and Africa are shifting forest management to regional, local and even community authorities.
The push for decentralization has the potential to greatly benefit both forests and those who depend on them. In theory, local authorities better understand the local conditions, make decisions that reflect local needs, and give marginalized groups greater access to power and resources.
But the decentralization of the administrative authority over forests is a complex process, and research around the world shows mixed results.
China has been reforming policy in all sectors of its economy since 1978. Administrative decentralization and greater private household autonomy have had major impacts on the forestry sector. Farm households have responded enthusiastically to the new opportunities by planting trees for both profit and environmental reasons. But only when they have been confident of their long-term property rights.
In 1994, Bolivia started a far-reaching process of decentralization that greatly strengthened municipal governments and increased the participation of the rural poor in forest resource use and decision-making. It has also given more power to an independent forestry commission in charge of national forests and provided indigenous and small farmer communities with millions of hectares of forest land. This decentralization process has improved Bolivia's protected area management and land-use planning, and enhanced the welfare of hundreds of thousands of rural poor.
After 30 years of highly centralized forest administration, Indonesia began transferring significant authority to regional governments in 2000. The new decentralization policies have given local governments unprecedented responsibilities to manage the natural resources within their jurisdictions. In some areas, this shift has intensified pressures on forests, while in other areas it has made government decision-making more responsive to forest-dependent communities.
Working together to manage forests
The social dynamics of managing forests are often complex. Local people use forests to meet a range of short to long term needs. Logging and mining companies are interested in profit. Governments want to both conserve the environment yet maximize tax revenues from forests.
For decentralization to fully succeed, governments must work closely with local users, forest communities and other stakeholders. In many cases, forestry departments will need to shift their focus from commercial timber extraction to resource protection and securing local livelihoods. Where policy change is needed, governments must find ways that allow local people a voice in policy formulation at both local and national levels.
Decentralization's success will ultimately be measured by the level of demands filtering up from a strong civil society and the government response to those demands. Far-reaching change is likely to come about as a result of the political efforts and organizational capacity of local forest users in successfully networking and liaising with other stakeholders, government officials, private capital, NGOs, donors and researchers. CIFOR's research into decentralization is helping to accelerate this process.
What is CIFOR doing?
CIFOR is conducting research on the effects of decentralized forest administration in Asia, Africa and Latin America. In each of these regions CIFOR works with local partners to support well-informed decision-making at the national, provincial, district and village levels. This will promote more sustainable forest management, secure local livelihoods and encourage equitable economic development.