Making Forestry Fairer

It is widely accepted that in order to keep forests standing, forest policies must be fair and reflect the needs, values and rights of local communities. 

But turning that aspiration into reality has proved extremely difficult, even in countries where international negotiations offer an economic incentive to reform via Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Voluntary Partnership Agreements (FLEGT VPAs). FERN has launched, “Making forestry fairer,” a new practical guide for NGOs and communities in VPA countries. Using real-life examples, the easy-to-read guide suggests ways these groups can use FLEGT VPAs to provoke long-lasting change in their countries’ interactions with forests and the people living there.

As well as including basics such as explaining what a FLEGT VPA is, the guide addresses issues such as deciding whether to take part, different types of participation, building coalitions, and considering how to tackle corruption and poor transparency. Available online in French and English, “Making forestry fairer” is the third practical guide for local NGOs from FERN. It accompanies “Provoking Change,” a practical guide to advocacy strategies, and “Securing land and resource rights in Africa,”a guide to legal reform and best practice.

Category: Reports