Participatory Forest Governance and Resource Management
Summary
Participatory forest governance and resource management involve the active engagement of local communities, governmental bodies and other stakeholders in decision-making processes related to the use, conservation and restoration of forest ecosystems. This approach seeks to balance ecological sustainability with social equity, recognising that many rural populations depend on forests for livelihoods, cultural values and ecosystem services. By decentralising authority and embedding co-management arrangements, participatory governance aims to improve forest condition, enhance resource tenure security and foster local ownership of conservation outcomes. Key elements include the establishment of community forest associations or user groups, the integration of indigenous and scientific knowledge, and mechanisms for monitoring, conflict resolution and benefit-sharing. Globally, this model has been applied in diverse socio-ecological settings, from tropical rainforests to dry woodlands, demonstrating its potential to reduce deforestation rates, bolster rural incomes and support resilience to climate change.
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Participatory Forest Governance and Resource Management publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in participatory forest governance and resource management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Participatory Forest Management (PFM): A governance model in which local communities, government agencies and other stakeholders share responsibility for forest planning, implementation and monitoring.
Community Forest Association (CFA): A legally recognised local body formed by forest-dependent communities to manage and protect designated forest areas under participatory arrangements.
Participation Index (PI): A composite measure quantifying the extent of stakeholder involvement across different stages of forest governance, such as planning, implementation and evaluation.
Ecosystem Services: The range of benefits—provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting—that people obtain from ecosystems, including food, climate regulation and recreational values.
References
- Community forestry frameworks in sub-Saharan Africa and the impact on sustainable development. Ecology and Society (2018).
- Understanding forest users' participation in participatory forest management (PFM): Insights from Mt. Elgon forest ecosystem, Kenya. Forest Policy and Economics (2021).
- Participatory Forest Management in West Usambara Tanzania: What Is the Community Perception on Success?. Sustainability (2020).
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