Collaborative Governance of Tropical Landscapes

Description

This book provides a novel approach to governance relating to biodiversity and human well-being in complex tropical landscapes, including forests and protected areas. It focuses attention at the interface between communities and the landscape level, building on interdisciplinary research conducted in five countries (Cameroon, Indonesia, Laos, Madagascar and Tanzania). In each country, the research was set within the framework of a major national policy thrust. The book improves our understanding of and ability to manage complex landscapes---mosaics of differing land uses---in a more adaptive and collaborative way that benefits both the environment and local communities. It includes both single country and cross-site analyses, and focuses on themes, such as resettlement, land use planning, non-timber forest product use and management, the disconnect between customary and formal legal systems, and the role of larger scale policies in local level realities. Chapters also analyze experience with monitoring and a local governance assessment tool. The work also provides guidance for those interested in management and governance at lower and intermediate levels (village, district), scales likely to grow in importance in the global effort to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Carol J. Pierce Colfer, PhD, MPH, is an anthropologist, a Senior Associate at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia), and a Visiting Scholar at Cornell University (Ithaca, New York). Much of her recent research has focused on governance and health in tropical forested areas. She has also recently published a ethnographic monograph documenting thirty years of research on the Uma' Jalan Kenyah of Indonesian Borneo. Jean-Laurent Pfund, PhD is a Forester and a Senior Scientist at CIFOR, Indonesia. He has long experience with the people and forests of Madagascar and led the research project from which this book derives.

'This book provides extremely valuable examples of the problems facing the governance of tropical forests. More importantly it details how these challenges might be resolved. It will help researchers, managers and policy-makers see beyond the rhetoric to concrete actions.' Dr. John Innes, Professor and Dean, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia 'This volume represents a sobering 'reality check' for those hoping for quick improvement in forest governance - not least in the interest of climate change mitigation and adaptation -- through collaborative research and action bridging local communities and state actors.' Frances Seymour, Director General, CIFOR 'In this book arising from carefully coordinated research in five countries, Carol Colfer, Jean-Laurent Pfund and their research collaborators explore the complex, muddled realities of landscape governance with honesty and evident empathy for rural communities. That they produce no simple recommendations is no surprise - but their conclusions are thoughtful, and the path to them full of local insights.' Jane Carter, Intercooperation - Swiss Foundation for Development and International Cooperation 'The book argues argue that involving local people is critical to addressing global climate change and alerts readers to some of the recurrent realities encountered in such efforts' Anthropology News.