Community forestry in Cambodia

摘要

Community forest means an area of state forest subject to an agreement to manage and utilize the forest in a sustainable manner between the cantonment of the Forest Administration and local communities or an organized group of people. Community forestry is initiated and promoted mainly by the various international NGOs and donor agencies, national NGOs, civil society, and later by the Royal Government of Cambodia. The various laws and decrees governing community forestry such as the National Forest Policy Statement (2002), Land Law (2001), Commune Administration Law (2001), Forestry Law (2002), Law on Protected Areas (Draft), Sub-decree on Concession Management Plan (2000), and Community Forestry Sub-decree (Draft), contain conflicting statements. Although the total area managed by community forestry is 55 568 ha, the number of stakeholders and initiatives is 150; thus each covers a relatively small area. With different line agencies involved, the main responsibility is with the Department of Forestry and Wildlife (DFW). Community forestry only exists at the local level in pilot provinces, mainly linked to projects, with very limited capacity (expertise/ knowledge), high inputs by NGOs, being not integrated with other sectors (such as agriculture), importance insufficiently reflected in institutional set-up, and limited extension-research linkages. Current emphasis deals with highly degraded forests which are rehabilitation oriented, use of NTFPs for livelihood improvement, commercial use of timber not yet considered, increasing number of integrated approaches such as the community-based natural resources management (CBNRM), limited benefit sharing arrangements, and good integration into local structures.