Why assessing forest ownership is important
Understanding tenure issues and trends is essential for governments to promote sustainable use of natural resources and formulate adequate policies. Privatization and community-based forest management have brought about rapid changes in forest ownership patterns and increasingly complex stakeholder relations. However, these recent changes have not been adequately assessed. So far, only broad and limited data on forest ownership (public/private) and its implication for sustainable forest management and poverty alleviation are available. Assessment of forest ownership is thus important.The objective of the assessment
In the 2005 issue of the Global Forest Resources Assessment, FAO therefore dedicated a specific table for the collection of data and classification of the world¿s forests into two main categories: public and private (plus one additional category for non-classified forests).In addition, FAO is conducting a more detailed assessment on forest tenure, institutional arrangements and management agreements, in order to compile, analyse and disseminate information that is important to the international community and governments when designing policies which are responsive to the increasing role played by stakeholders in the forestry sector. The purpose of this site is to present the findings of this assessment, with the final aim of clarifying and raising awareness about the linkages between forest tenure, sustainable forest management and poverty alleviation.
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Forest tenure is meant as a broad concept
including ownership, tenancy and other arrangements for the use of forests.
Forest tenure is the combination, whether legally or customarily defined, of
forest ownership rights and of arrangements for the management and use of forest
resources. |