New perspectives on forest dynamics and the myth of 'communities': reconsidering co-management of tropical rainforests in Cameroon

摘要

This article links new perspectives on forest dynamics to insights gained from studies of science/policy processes -- focusing on the apparatus involved in forest management -- and to social scientific discussions on the concept of 'community'. Within this apparatus, the concept of 'community' serves as a vehicle for the circulation of myths; concept and myths are both part of 'cultural policy paradigms' for forest management. New perspectives on forest dynamics imply that ecological sustainabilityin forest management is no longer a natural 'given': it involves choosing one dynamic equilibrium over others. This has major political consequences: co-management should start as early as the strategic planning phase. Yet who should be involved in strategic planning? This is an important issue in view of the immense commercial value of timber, and of the differences among stakeholders in interests, political and economical power, and in capacities to voice and defend their views. Based on environmental anthropological research on local tenure of forest resources in southern Cameroon, this article emphasizes that 'communities' in local tenure may be rather more complex than some policy-makers continue to assume and also dynamic, not least in responseto state and international attempts at forest management.