Year of publication 2010

Forest law enforcement and governance (FLEG) is a specific and recognizable field of professional practice within forest management. Indeed, a country's FLEG framework provides the foundation for combating forest crime and for realizing the true potential that sustainable forest management (SFM) can contribute to socio-economic development. With increasing demand for wood products and for environmental services in Asia and the Pacific, the value of strengthening FLEG will undoubtedly increase in the future. The past 10 to 15 years have seen a marked increase in the number of initiatives aimed at strengthening FLEG in the region, with notable achievements in many countries. Despite recent progress, however, current rates of illegal logging, land encroachment, illegal wildlife trade, wildland arson, tax evasion, corruption, money laundering and other forest crimes indicate that there is still much work to be done in many countries. In this context of recent progress, limited information and remaining challenges, it is timely to review the many FLEG initiatives underway in the region and exchange ideas for further strengthening of efforts. The papers in this volume aim to provide an overview of the current FLEG-related initiatives for 16 of the most forest-rich nations in Asia and the Pacific. Each paper was prepared by the country's principal forestry agency using a comprehensive and balanced framework to systematically map, compare and benchmark national progress.