Resource information
In the search for effective natural resource management strategies, it has become apparent that local communities have a critical role to play in sustainable forest management. Community-based forest management has emerged in the past decade as an effective approach for the management of tree and forest resources. Experiences in various countries have shown that when communities are empowered with responsibility and rights for the management of these resources, and receive the benefits from them, the rate of degradation is substantially reduced, and in many cases the forest cover improves visibly. The evidence of this workshop suggests that Africa may well take the global lead in the design of supportive policy and laws and the implementation of communitybased resource management. The focus of the workshop was on both the institutional framework (policy and legislation) and the implementation approaches needed to enable the development of participatory forestry for the sustainable use of forest resources in Africa. The workshop was attended by participants from 25 African countries, including policy-makers, practitioners from government and non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations from African countries, as well as donor representatives and international organizations involved in community forestry.
