Science Alert 17 Aug 09;
International Institute for Environment and Development
Researchers working with forest community groups and policy makers in ten countries in Africa and Asia have developed a novel way to improve the flow of social and environmental benefits from tropical forests, according to an independent evaluation of an International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) project published on 17 August.
"With forests set to take centre stage in a new global deal to tackle climate change, there is a desperate search underway for proven ways to improve governance to ensure that forest resources are managed for the public good,” says project leader and head of IIED’s Natural Resources Group, James Mayers.
“That search should look at what’s been achieved by the Forest Governance Learning Group (FGLG). Its experience shows how to improve governance in ways that lead to tangible changes in policy with positive impacts on people who depend on forests.”
Through stimulating, for example, improved parliamentary debate, enhanced civil society action and more informed journalism, the project has achieved impacts such as:
* Forest-dependent households living around Mabira forest in Uganda have more secure livelihoods after action which successfully reversed a government decision to degazette the forest and convert it to sugar plantations
* Small scale forest enterprises in South Africa can now operate within a framework of simplified, rationalised and improved policies
* Indigenous community groups in Orissa state, India have increased access rights to collect and manage non-timber forest products in state forest land
* In Vietnam, improved governance frameworks have enabled practical actions for locally beneficial community forestry
* Several investments in logging deals that were over-exploitative of local forests and livelihoods have been questioned and prevented by high-level action in Mozambique
In each country, IIED and partners set up FGLG teams to bring together representatives of communities, governments, civil society organisations and businesses to explore the drivers of poor forest governance and to influence national and sub-national policymaking.
The groups enabled varied stakeholders to build trust and learn from each other whilst identifying positive policy changes suited to local circumstances and priorities.
To assess the work’s impact so far and what can be learned from it, IIED commissioned an independent evaluation by Tom Blomley of Acacia Consulting.
Blomley’s report, published 17 August 2009, concludes that the project’s specific object of improved governance of forest resources in ten countries in Africa and Asia “will largely be met in most of the ten countries”.
It adds: “Strong examples of this come from Ghana, South Africa and Indonesia where important policy changes have been effected as a direct result of the work of the learning groups in those countries.”
The report notes that the level of impact generated in terms of learning, as well as improved governance, is high despite the project’s modest cost.
“The decentralised manner in which FGLG has worked across the ten countries has provided an important testing ground for locally-driven and innovative approaches,” it states.
James Mayers adds, “Many forest problems are questions of social justice. Where FGLG country teams are working well they have shown how practical steps to greater social justice and sustainable local livelihoods can be taken even when very powerful players are up against them. This provides strong lessons for efforts to support forest governance as a climate change mitigation strategy – known as REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation).”
The FGLG project has been funded by a grant from the European Commission and co-financing from the Dutch Government (DGIS). A new proposal to extend the activities of the initiative for an additional five years from January 2009 has been approved by the EC.
