Tailoring Forest Management to Fit Local Needs

Abstract

Forests fulfill more than just the timber and income requirements of rural communities in developing countries. In some cases, wood is not the first product that people get from the forests. Instead, they use the forest to supplement their nutrition, food security and livelihood needs. It is thus necessary to be aware of these needs in designing a plan for forest management. Other factors also affect the decision-making of local people regarding their forest resource. Some these are unchangeable factors. These factors include the gender, class, religion, age, and cultural traditions of the participants in the social forestry program. Other factors that affect forest management can be modified, but often at great cost. In any case, these factors, which include land tenure issues and resource constraints, definitely have to be taken into account. Finally, cooperatives and other community organizations, whether or not they are directly related to forestry issues, nevertheless have strong effects on the practice of forestry at the local level.