Forest tenure

Tenure security for better forestry

Forest tenure may be defined as the right – statutory or customary -- that determines who can use, manage, control, or transfer forest lands and resources such as wood or the multitude of non-wood forest products (NWFPs). Forest tenure defines for how long, and under what conditions these rights are held.    

Forests are a source of livelihood for millions of rural families that collect timber, NWFPs, firewood, fodder, food, medicinal plants, and water for meeting subsistence needs (and offsetting the need for cash), or for sale and generation of income. It is estimated that over 1.5 million people worldwide depend on forest goods and services for the direct provision of food, wood fuel, building materials, medicines, employment, and cash income. Most rural families collect these forest resources informally, with no legal recognition or security of rights. This can promote unsustainable use of forests for short-term gains.  

Over the past four decades, governments worldwide have diversified forest tenure systems realizing the immense potential that it holds for improving forest governance and food security and livelihoods of the millions of people. Diversification of forest tenure and secure tenure rights for use of forest resources by local communities and smallholders are critical to successful implementation of most forestry programmes implemented at the field level including climate change mitigation and adaptation, forest landscape restoration, REDD+, and payments for ecosystem service initiatives. Strengthening tenure of local communities to forest resources are also many of the sustainable development goals. For such forest tenure regimes to deliver the numerous benefits, it is critical that they are implemented and various forms of support are provided such as those noted below. 

FAO support

FAO supports countries in diversification and strengthening forest tenure in line with the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries, and Forests (VGGT), by supporting:

• Assessments of forest tenure systems and their impact on forests and livelihoods.
• Periodic collection and dissemination of data on forest tenure at country, regional and global levels.
• Awareness raising and stimulating debates at national level and in international fora on forest tenure related concerns. 
• Trainings to help government and non-government stakeholders to collectively reflect on tenure reforms in light of the VGGT, their implementation, and the challenges and opportunities for improving forest governance and livelihoods in their countries.
• Countries in the process of tenure reforms through policy, legal and regulatory reforms; field-level projects, and the development of practical tools.

Key points

• Indigenous Peoples, local communities and smallholders govern over 50 percent of forest and farmlands worldwide; their participation is critical to sustainable forest management, climate change mitigation and landscape restoration.  
• Local stakeholders also play a very significant role in formal and non-formal wood and non-wood forest product economies worldwide; but their contributions depend upon secure access rights to these resources.
• Meaningful rights and tenure security are necessary conditions to incentivize local participation and partnership in forestry programs and initiatives.
• Securing tenure of local communities and smallholders to forest land and resources can contribute to the achievement of SDG 15 (sustainable management of natural resources), SDG 1 (reducing poverty), SDG 2 (reducing hunger), SDG 10 (reducing inequality), and SDG 8 (fostering decent work and economic growth).
• The VGGT provide important guidance on principles that strengthen tenure rights and equitable access to land, fisheries and forests with respect to all forms of tenure -- public and private. 
• Rights recognition should be supported with strong legislation and efficient implementation to realize the benefits.