This paper focuses upon the organizational governance of community forest enterprises (CFEs) in the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR) of Northern Guatemala. The MBR's community-forest concession system has become an international model for community-based forest management and community forest enterprise (CFE) development due to the socio-economic and ecological benefits that it has achieved. Many CFEs

Understanding farmers’ underlying perceptions and knowledge of the impact of trees on-farm is essential to develop appropriate agroforestry practices that meet farmers’ aspirations. Using the Australian-funded Trees for Food Security (T4FS) project as a case study, we obtained quantitative data from questionnaire interviews with 400 smallholder farmers belonging to four farmer categories in the Mt

The present study was carried out at two altitudinal zones in the Renuka forest Division in Himachal Pradesh (Western Himalaya, India) and explored provisioning services use patterns to understand mountain people’s dependency on the adjacent forest. A total of 29 villages were surveyed for the study of forest ecosystem services in relation to their socioeconomic status. Average fuelwood and fodder

In Sub-Saharan Africa, agroforestry has been identified as the most sustainable remedy to counter declining farm productivity. Over the last decades, researchers and other actors have promoted several agroforestry technologies to improve farm productivity. Sometimes, the promotion message provided through extension assumes a homogenous smallholder farmers’ context. However, smallholder farmers’ social

The Philippine Government launched in 2011 the National Greening Program (NGP), a massive forest restoration program that aimed to plant 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million ha by 2016 to regain ecological integrity of denuded forest landscapes and improve the socioeconomic status of the participating farmers. While the main environmental and economic benefits of the NGP can be realized in the long run

Peer learning programs in forestry are a valuable resource for woodland owners, yet many forestry outreach programs in the U.S. and Europe are underutilized. Recent literature has suggested that current models peer learning and outreach programs could benefit from adopting a service-dominant logic, which centers on value creation through exchange, such as trusted peer relationships. This study employs

Both the concepts of ecosystem services and social enterprise have gained popularity as means of addressing social and environmental issues in recent years. But while research on ecosystem services has focused on non-governmental organisation and local community-led approaches, the role of social enterprises has received less attention. In Scotland, social enterprises play an important role in delivering

The market demand and price of teak in Laos vary broadly and depend on several factors. The aim of this study was to assess timber trading and pricing based on a survey of teak buyers. The research investigated teak trading methods, markets and prices paid for particular timber types and quality grades. Three types of teak timber are commonly sold: 24.7% as standing trees, 39.6% as round logs and 35

ORKÖY (Forest and Village Relations) activities are carried out by the General Directorate of Forestry in Turkey in order to develop forest villages, improve forest and village relations, and reduce the pressure on forests. This study aims to investigate the impacts of ORKÖY activities on sustainable forest management in the İstanbul province of Turkey. For this purpose, the data of ORKÖY and forestry

Rural-urban labour migration has the potential to significantly transform forest owners’ forestry management strategies and influence the forest resources in the long term. This study examined the effects of rural-urban labour migration on household forestland exit decisions (i.e. forestland abandonment and forestland transfer), investment decisions (capital and labour), and forest income (absolute

Bamboo is the fastest growing plant with a relatively short rotation period and high biomass yield. However, there are little practical experience or documented traditional knowledge on how local communities manage, process and sustainably utilize bamboo resource. Therefore, the present study was aimed at: (1) assessing and documenting ethnobotanical knowledge in Chencha, Hula and Masha Districts;

Operating as ecological engineers, the increased distribution and abundance of wild hogs (Sus scrofa) has caused considerable socio-economic impacts. The international scope of economic research providing wild hog damage estimates are often confined to agricultural crops, while damage estimates among forest plantations are lacking. In Alabama, private landowners hold the majority of timberland acreage

In recent decades, out-migration has become a key livelihood strategy for many rural households in the middle hills region of Nepal. In this region, rural communities are key actors in the management of local resources such as community forests. Analysis of the link between community forests and out-migration is largely missing in the literature, even though the demographic changes associated with

Approximately 1.2 million family forest landowners (FFOs) manage nearly 37 million acres of forestland in five New England states. This means that efforts to sustain and conserve forests in the region are contingent upon short- and long-term management decisions of these owners. We applied the transtheoretical model of behavior change to understand which activities and behaviors FFOs have pursued in

The Sundarbans is a protected forest ecosystem in Bangladesh. A large number of people depend on this forest for their livelihoods and income. Many farmers in the region are now adopting fish farming—specifically, aquasilviculture (multi-purpose production system that allows production of fish and perennial plants mostly trees), one of the most profitable agroforestry systems in many countries. The

Understanding the market chain of charcoal in Ethiopia and other countries in sub-Saharan-Africa, and implementing evidence-based recommendations can improve the livelihoods of all stakeholders in the value chain. This study was initiated to identify the marketing channels of charcoal and the major factors influencing its market supply in Fagita Lekoma district, Northwest Ethiopia. Results of multiple

Collective action and capacity building locally are key elements in overcoming poverty through agroforestry and community silviculture. Starting from extreme poverty, degraded soils and a reluctance to plant trees, the communities of Zambrana Abajo in the Dominican Republic were able to confront and change repressive forestry policies, obtaining the first legal right amongst smallholders to harvest

Globally, the diversity of indigenous medicinal tree species is threatened and yet such plants provide the least costly means of treatment for the poor. The factors that inspire adoption of such plants on farm are unclear. This study was conducted in communities adjacent to six protected areas in central Uganda, to (1) document the local uses of Prunus africana (Hook. f.) Kalkman, (2) assess the farmers’

Growing demand for white oak (Quercus alba) timber and difficulties in regenerating this species point toward future supply issues. Implementing forest policy and management interventions to support its long-term supply will be necessary particularly in Kentucky, where bourbon industry relies solely on casks made from white oak. To increase the probability that these actions will be successful, it

Forest fringe communities have considerable knowledge of the value of forests. Quantitative forms of such knowledge can provide useful insights to complement scientific knowledge in forest resource management. Nonetheless, little attention has been given to the relevance of quantitative forms of such knowledge. A questionnaire survey of a sample of 92 farmers from six communities in Ghana engaged in

The Grain for green program (GFGP) has resulted in a large number of small-scale, scattered family forest land operators in China. Small-scale forest cooperative management helps to bring together fragmented reforested land, optimizes the operation level of small-scale forests, and improves the effectiveness and sustainability of the GFGP. We use the Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats

The Thal desert is the third-largest desert in Pakistan, a major part of which consists of dunes. In recent years, a large portion of the Thal farmers has shifted from conventional farming to tree cultivation and border cropping on the dunes. In this study, we compared household income generated from conventional farming and agroforestry. Data on the farming type and various inputs, as well as the

The change in forest ownership structures, the resulting fragmentation of forest properties and restitution processes have led to the emergence of organizations in Europe that are able to deal with these challenges. Changes in the timber selling process due to decisions of the German Federal Competition Authority have led first to uncertain conditions for forest management cooperatives (FMCs) and their

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) forest certification was introduced in Nepal with an assumption that it improves forests and ecosystem services while addressing the drivers of forest degradation. As of today, 89 community forests (CF) have been FSC certified, however empirical evidence on the contribution of forest certification on carbon stock and species richness is lacking. This research, thus

Taking China’s recently developed Forest Right Mortgage System (FRMS) as an example, this paper examines the impact of the strength of farmers’ property rights on the intensity of credit restrictions imposed by lenders. Using the forest right mortgage policy documents we collected from eight key forestry counties (cities) in China’s southern collective forest regions and the corresponding data of 414

Nontimber forest products (NTFPs)‬ are one of the forest products that can provide direct benefits to communities living around forests. Some of the most used NTFPs in Indonesia are the stems, leaves and fruit of candlenut trees. Candlenut fruit is widely used in the cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and biodiesel industries and is generally used as a cooking ingredient in Indonesia. However, only a limited

Reconciling livelihoods and conservation aspects in rattan utilization is an intricate problem. To shed light on possible solutions, this study analyzed multiple scenarios using system dynamics models for balancing the ecological and economic sustainability of rattan harvesting in the Lore Lindu National Park. The system dynamics models were developed from the rattan inventory and collected socio-economic

Maple syrup production (“maple sugaring”) is an important cultural and economic activity in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States (U.S.A.). Climate change is a concern for maple producers because maple sugaring is dependent upon climate for both sap sugar content as well as for the specific patterns of freezing and thawing in springtime needed for sap flow. Meanwhile, the maple industry

Improving forest product value chains is considered a means to solve forest-related challenges in the Global South. The ‘Participative Innovation Platform’ (PIP) instrument has been developed to design and to continually adapt solutions and strategies for effective cooperation amongst value chain actors. The instrument is rooted in the action-oriented and social learning approach, combined with the

There is a growing concern for sustainable forest management globally, and individual countries have been developing national policies and plans for forest management. This is the case in Nepal, but a large area of national forests is still under protection due to lack of people-centric management guidelines. In this study, diameter (DBH) and height were measured for trees, and frequency was recorded

We characterize a parcelized land management system that does not meet traditional co-located agroforestry practices in the tropics. A cut-and-carry agroforestry system for confined livestock emphasizes land utilization as a source of fodder, cutting and carrying feed from parcels to paddocks near a farmer’s home. It reduces feed cost by utilizing parcels under private, shared, and/or public ownership

The effective implementation and development of conservation schemes to which participation of forest owners is voluntary, requires an understanding of forest owners’ views on measures to safeguard forest biodiversity. The Forest Biodiversity Program for Southern Finland is currently the most important instrument of voluntary forest conservation in Finland. The aim of this study is to explore what

In recent years, the proliferation of small-scale enterprises based on sales of edible swiftlets’ nests harvested in peat swamp forests in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia has occurred. This study focuses on enterprises that might offer a promising opportunity as a user-side financing system for payments for ecosystem services (PES) to balance forest conservation priorities with local communities’ livelihood

Legacy, sometimes called intergenerational land transfer or forestland bequest, is an important subject for family forest landowners. While the literature primarily addresses legacy from an economic perspective or as a function of landowner characteristics, this research explores how past, present, and future connections to forestland shape family forest landowners’ conceptions of legacy. This research

Small forest landowners and loggers require information on the cost and productivity of available timber harvesting systems in order to make the best equipment allocation decisions, especially when the current generation of highly productive, capital-intensive harvesting machinery is well suited for clearcutting in large stands. Conversely, small-scale equipment is becoming more readily available that

The study objective was to characterize noise exposures and hearing protector usage at small-scale logging operations. Noise dosimeters were used to measure exposures of 31 loggers at two cable operations and five mechanized operations in the United States. Activity cards were employed to evaluate hearing protector usage. Ninety-two percent of cable operation loggers were overexposed to noise according

In recent years, industrial roundwood production has enjoyed a steady success due to the development of a new bioeconomy and the rapid structural changes of the wood market. A very promising new solution for industrial fiber crops is the integrated production of logs and biomass in short rotation poplar plantations. In Europe, the expansion of these crops is concentrated in the Eastern regions, where

Latin American cattle ranchers have long been depicted as one of the major perpetrators of deforestation. A new conceptualization of Chayanov’s Theory of Peasant Economy is employed to understand ranchers’ perceptions of tree management in Panama. Chayanov’s theory proposes that the family farm is governed by a balance of decisions farmers make between the utility of producing one more item, with the

Forestlands provide timber resources and valuable ecosystem services. To better manage forest landscape and develop policies, it is important to quantify the relationships between the number of forestland patches, patch areas, and landowner numbers. By using integrated analysis of information about the forestlands in 17 counties in Alabama, USA, similar scaling relationships are determined in the forestland

Technical forest management plans are prerequisites for obtaining forest management rights by community forest user groups in Nepal. However, the relevance of such plans and the rationale for accepting them remain unexplored. Using a multiple-case-study approach, we examine the contents of the silvicultural prescriptions, and the relevance of these prescriptions in day-to-day forest management, and

The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) covers the mountain ranges from Afghanistan in the West to Myanmar in the East, including regions of Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and China. The HKH is one of the most vulnerable ecosystems in the world, with a large proportion of the population dependent on natural resources for basic sustenance. As a result of climate change, the HKH has been facing irregularities

Human activities coupled with over exploitation of sensitive ecosystems and habitat destruction have caused a rapid decrease in the population of plant species. Countries worldwide are becoming interested in conserving biodiversity by determining conservation priorities at local levels. The categories used for evaluating threat status by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) that

This paper explores the realities of forestry benefit sharing under joint forest management in a major teak plantation region of Java, Indonesia, with reference to empirical information about the uses and effects of monetary benefits in terms of stakeholder power relations. The authors intend to enrich current understandings of the pitfalls of benefit-sharing mechanisms at the local level. The analysis

Forest and woodland owners and managers are generally perceived to be acting slowly in addressing environmental change by adapting their forestry practice. Diversification of tree species composition and stand structure is widely promoted as one adaptive approach to increasing the resilience of forests to climate change and other threats. Land manager behaviour is known to be affected by structural

Investigations of factors influencing wildfire risks in Mediterranean forest areas have rarely considered the possible influence of the ownership type and management modalities in forest areas owned and/or managed by rural communities, referred to as baldios in Portugal. This study aimed to analyse the relationship between forest ownership types and the management modalities of community forests in

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) provide multiple opportunities for the rural economies and are considered a valuable source of income for tribal livelihoods, especially in India. A large number of rural people in India are dependent on NTFPs for fulfilment of their basic needs. Accordingly, this study assessed the role of various NTFPs, their commercial behaviour and future potential. In particular

Family forest owners represent the largest forest ownership group in the United States, but only about a quarter of their land has a forest management plan and only one in five receives professional forest management advice. Identifying communication avenues which provide technical forestry information to these owners is a long-standing problem in American forestry. Programs and activities that increase

Deforestation is a severe threat in the context of climate change and the establishment of protected forest areas is a crucial strategy to conserve and manage forests. This study aims to investigate the impact of betel leaf cultivation on the protected forest area known as the Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary in the southern coastal area of Bangladesh. The research objectives were to describe the extent of

Agroforestry practices offer high potential of carbon (C) sequestration in developing countries. However, the roles of tropical agroforestry to mitigate climate change has only recently been recognized. Therefore, this case study was conducted to demonstrate empirically the carbon stocks of home garden (HGAF) and adjacent coffee based agroforestry systems (CAFS) practiced at Mana district, southwestern

Forest conservation buffers provide ecosystem services such as soil and water conservation, wildlife habitat, and clean air. This research studied the experiences and intentions of participants in forest buffer contract programs in Virginia, USA provided by governmental conservation agencies. These programs offer technical assistance and share costs of establishment and maintenance for a period of

In the past 40 years, China has experienced an unprecedented transformation of the rural society and livelihoods and self-subsistence forest management has transitioned to more business-oriented management, typically the Forestry Cooperatives, Family Forestry Farms and Forestry Specialized Households identified in this study. We explored the factors contributing to this transformation using household

Despite an ostensibly conducive policy environment in Nepal, community forest management has stagnated at a suboptimal level in delivery of the benefits stipulated in operational plans. This study assesses the current state of forest management against the backdrop of locally relevant factors that influence management strategies in 13 community forests in the mid hill region of Nepal. It adopts a mixed-method

Agroforestry practices of farming communities are investigated in southern Punjab province, Pakistan. It is hypothesized that rural people of this areas are more inclined than elsewhere in the province to practice agroforestry due to greater profitability than cropping. A landholder survey revealed that the majority of farmers are inclined to plant trees on their land. Low accessibility of institutional

This study involved time studies of clear-cutting and regeneration operations, including site preparation and planting, in Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Then, this study analyzed productivity and cost between small and medium-sized machines of a small-scale logging contractor expanding their operations during merging small properties. The contractor used self-owned, small-sized machines

We demonstrate how Baynes et al.’s (Glob Environ Change 35:226–238, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.09.011) framework can be operationalized as a tool for identifying potential intervention points for supporting the tenure and governance-enabling environment for CFEs. We do so by applying the framework to a sample of CFUG-managed CFEs in Nepal to see how they measure up as a group with

Both the reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation program (REDD+) and community-based forest management (CBFM) aim to combat forest degradation and deforestation on various levels. Both approaches include multiple objectives such as carbon sequestration, livelihood improvement and forest tenure reform. New institutions, such as community-forest management boards or REDD+ implementation

In this study, the information needs of non-industrial private forest owners in Finland, after logging operations, were investigated. The study was carried out as an online survey in 2017. The survey was targeted at non-industrial private forest owners who had sold their timber during the previous 10 years (2008–2017) and whose email addresses were in the customer relationship management system of

Greening in urban areas and forests can provide people with valuable environmental and social benefits. Active involvement by local stakeholders is crucial for effective tree conservation. Our study focused on the past and current uses, management, and conservation of old-growth fukugi (Garcinia subelliptica) trees from the perspective of local stakeholders in rural homesteads on Ryukyu Archipelago

This paper presents a comprehensive financial analysis of the investment potential of seven private forest categories in the Republic of Croatia (total study area of 268,072 ha). It covers the period from 2018 to 2048 and includes forest purchase costs, management simulation, timber transport to mills, timber processing and veneer production, and finally the selling of sawmill, veneer and forest products

This study employs in-depth qualitative and quantitative research methods including survey and other ethnographic methods, concept mapping and informal qualitative observations to investigate community interaction in the village of Fabe near the Korup National Park in Cameroon, in relation to the reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) program. It is argued that community