Forest resources

This guide is provides guidance on how to structure enabling investments and prepare the ground for asset investments that yield acceptable returns and reduced risk, not only for investors, but also for local forest right-holders, national governments and society at large. The volume sets out a framework for structuring investments with tactical advice for building the partnerships necessary for success.

La presente publicación está basada en el informe de consultoría Análisis de la situación actual del sector forestal peruano, elaborado por Araujo, J. y Capella, J. de la Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental a principios de 2011. Este informe fue actualizado utilizando información secundaria con la finalidad de presentar un documento con información vigente sobre el quehacer del sector forestal peruano.

A series of dialogues organised by The Forests Dialogue (TFD) between 2009 and 2012 on ‘investing in locally controlled forestry’ (ILCF) was designed to help catalyse investments in LCF by sharing learning between rights-holder groups and investors; improving mutual trust based on an agreed investment framework; and identifying practical ways forward.

The Livelihoods and Landscapes Strategy (LLS) was a five-year program implemented by IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) and funded by DGIS (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands). The Strategy focused on four main themes: poverty reduction, natural resource-based markets and incentives, forest governance, and landscape transformation. LLS, originally set to finish in December 2010, was granted a no-cost extension and came to a close in December 2011.

It is commonly claimed that forest tenure reform that provides rural people with rights to access and use of forest resources can contribute to improved forest management and poverty alleviation. But, at least with respect to poverty alleviation, there are few experiences with formal forest tenure reform that have demonstrated this to date. Given how difficult it is to achieve pro-poor tenure reform, an important question is whether modest informal changes can achieve results.

This paper examines how interventions intended to improve functionality and productivity of forested landscapes to improve livelihoods of the poorest populations, might actually yield co-benefits in terms of biodiversity conservation. It argues in favour of a ‘landscape’ approach to achieve these co-benefits.