National Strategy for Community Forestry. The Way Ahead.

The National Strategy for Community Forestry is a strategic document applicable at the national level for the medium to long term (5-10 years) whose overall goal is to ensure that forest resources and biodiversity are managed sustainably and equitably producing a wide range of social, economic and environmental goods and services for the optimal benefit of all citizens while still maintaining a minimum of 60% of the land under forest, thereby contributing to “Gross National Happiness”. Therefore te long term vision for community forestry is for a future that is sustainable, affordable, makes a significant contribution to rural livelihoods, poverty reduction and improved forest condition and is resilient to climate change. The following strategic goals are outlined: (1) Enhance the regulatory framework for Community Forestry to ensure that it is enabling rather than enforcing; (2) Manage Community Forests by applying principles of Sustainable Forest Management to achieve both conservation and development outcomes; (3) Manage Community Forests to generate income as well as a wide range of other goods and services; (4) Manage Community Forests to contribute to a reduction in rural poverty; (5) Meet rural timber requirements from Community Forests to the greatest extent possible; (6) Base the management of Community Forests on principles of good governance; (7) Improve awareness of the general public and Government staff about all aspects of Community Forestry; (8) Build capacity to plan for and manage Community Forests; (9) Base technical and socio-economic approaches to Community Forestry on good science; (10) Monitor and evaluate the biophysical and socio-economic outcomes of Community Forestry.