People and trees

Experts estimate that some 200 million hectares of new trees must be planted during the next ten years if developing countries are to meet their people's needs for tree products. The government, even with international support, cannot finance all, or even most, of the necessary work. Thus, much of the work must be done by the rural people themselves. Social forestry which inolves the local people in growing trees for their own use, is a critical factor in the lives of most rural people today. This report's main purpose is as a reference for training people who formulate policies and design or implement programs that recognize the vital importance of integrating trees into farming and ecological systems. It highlights fundamental issues and suggests ways to resolve them so that less time elapses between the planning stages and the successful implementation of sustainable programs for the development of communities, trees and the environment in which people live.