Year of publication 2009

Forests and conflict is a theme that deserves more attention than it is recently receiving. On the one hand, conflict is a common part of forest management and, depending on how we respond to it, can be a major force for better forest management and positive social change. On the other hand, violent conflict situations often pose big impediment to sustainable forest management as they undermine efforts to reduce poverty and improve governance. This digest focuses on outlining how understanding conflicts and the practice of conflict resolution approaches can be important for enhanced participation and better policy outcomes in the frame of National Forest Programmes. The accompanying compendium contains articles, case studies, manuals and other reference materials that address different aspects of the linkages between forests and conflict, including the following: impact of conflict linked to the multi-objective nature of forest management which focuses on the balancing of competing interests; impact of armed conflict on forests and role of forests in influencing armed conflict; case studies providing accounts of conflicts and conflict management processes; capacity building material and lessons learned from natural resources conflict management; and evaluative studies on the impact of alternative conflict management approaches and development interventions on peace and conflict.