Introduction
The forestry sector has a profound impact on global climate, biodiversity and socio-economic development and is immensely important for achieving sustainable development. In order to ensure that forestry moves in a sustainable direction, progressive forestry policies have been established – these aim to promote the best use of available forest resources without degrading the environment or neglecting social and cultural benefits.
Background
Forests are vital for the global environment, for maintaining ecosystems and for sustaining forests-dependent communities. Recent climate change has caused unprecedented changes in regional and global forest ecosystems, stressing the need for effective and adaptive forestry policies. These policies include regulatory instruments such as property rights and taxation, as well as voluntary measures such as certification.
Main Body
Property rights reforms play a key role in how countries manage their forests, providing incentives to protect them (as well as reducing political corruption). With secure and equitable rights, governments can allow local stakeholders to benefit from their forest’s use and resources. This helps protect forests by ensuring that there is a long-term investment in the sustainability of forest management.
An example of a property rights reform is the efforts to reform communal forest governance in Liberia. Historically, wood and other resources were harvested for commercial uses without consultation with local communities. To reform this system and protect the forest, the government established a partnership between local communities and private investors: the communities now have a greater say in how the forest is managed, providing them with education and sustainable livelihoods, as well as legal protection for their use rights.
Another example of a policy to protect forests is certification. Certification is a voluntary process whereby forests are scored on environmental and social criteria, and then certified by an independent third party. This helps buyers know that what they are buying is coming from a responsibly managed source and ensures a premium is paid to the suppliers. This can benefit forest stakeholders, as well as creating economic opportunities for local communities who are involved in the process.
In addition to these, taxation and market instruments can help manage underused land and reduce pressure on existing resources. Taxation helps to create incentives to invest in conserving forests and land, while market instruments create a financial incentive for conserving resources. These can be effective when targeted correctly, however they are not always effective, as taxation can in some cases lead to illegal logging.
Conclusion
The forestry sector has a huge potential for sustainable development, but progress is dependent on properly implemented good policies. Property rights reform, certification and taxation and market instrument reforms have shown to be successful methods for protecting and managing forests,, however more research and monitoring are needed. It is essential that policy-makers understand the potential for forestry policy to improve both environmental and socio-economic outcomes positively.
