Two major barriers to non-timber forest product (NTFP) commercialization are a thin market structure and ensuring long-term supply. There is a growing literature suggesting potential solutions to address these two issues. The majority of these solutions, however, marginalize the role of state institutions in favour of other institutional arrangements. This study used the example of Tricholoma matsutake (S. Ito and S. Imai) Singer commercialisation in South Korea to show that state institutions can play a leading role in addressing the thin market structure and ensuring long-term supply. Specifically, the Korea Forest Service (KFS) and National Forestry Cooperatives Federation (NFCF) addressed the thin market structure through the provision of a supply channel, grading system, price-setting mechanism and guidelines for transportation. In order to help ensure long-term supply, the KFS and NFCF support and undertake forest management activities. This case study shows that state institutions should be seriously considered along with other institutional solutions when tackling barriers to NTFP commercialisation.

Responding to pressure from international markets, environmental NGOs and donors, several logging companies in the Congo Basin have opted for voluntary certification schemes, such as the one proposed by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The FSC scheme promotes forest management that is environmentally appropriate, economically viable and socially beneficial. The latter component, which is the focus of this paper, aims at the optimal integration of the local population in the forest management. We assess local organizations active around six FSC certified concessions in Cameroon and evaluate their legitimacy and effectiveness in building and maintaining a positive relationship between communities and logging companies. Results show that FSC certification plays a key role in the emergence of multi-stakeholder platforms that function as mechanisms of improved ‘social exchange’. To some extent, such exchanges also contribute to less conflicting relations between logging companies and local communities, as well as reinforcing the social requirements of the forest law. Some shortcomings, however, remain, and we suggest logging companies should consider improving the balance of power between themselves and the communities, notably by reviewing the current top-down approach in establishing and managing discussion platforms.

Sous la pression des marchés internationaux, des ONG environnementales et des bailleurs, plusieurs compagnies forestières du bassin du Congo ont opté pour des systèmes de certification volontaire telle que le Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Le FSC encourage une gestion forestière respectueuse de l'environnement, économiquement viable et socialement bénéfique. La dernière composante qui est l'objet de cet article vise à intégrer les populations locales dans la gestion forestière. Nous examinons les plateformes de concertation actives autour de six concessions forestières certifiées au Cameroun et évaluons leur effectivité ainsi que leur légitimité à établir et maintenir des relations positives entre les compagnies forestières et les populations. Les résultats montrent que la certification FSC est déterminante dans l'émergence des plateformes qui sont des mécanismes de collaboration. Dans une certaine mesure, cette collaboration contribue également à diminuer les tensions entre les compagnies forestières et les populations locales et rendre effectif la réglementation forestière.

En respuesta a la presión de los mercados internacionales, las ONG ambientales y los donantes, varias empresas madereras de la Cuenca del Congo han optado por participar en sistemas de certificación voluntarios, como el ofrecido por el Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). El sistema del FSC promueve una gestión forestal apropiada para el medio ambiente, económicamente viable y socialmente beneficiosa. Este último componente, que constituye el foco de este estudio, tiene como objetivo la integración óptima de la población local en la gestión forestal. Para ello, evaluamos las organizaciones locales activas en torno a seis concesiones certificadas por el FSC en Camerún y analizamos su legitimidad y efectividad en la construcción y el mantenimiento de una relación positiva entre las comunidades y las empresas madereras. Los resultados muestran que la certificación FSC juega un papel clave en la aparición de plataformas de partes interesadas múltiples, que funcionan como mecanismos de “intercambio social” mejorado. Hasta cierto punto, estos intercambios contribuyen también a la reducción de conflictos en las relaciones entre las empresas madereras y las comunidades locales, así como a reforzar los requisitos sociales de la legislación forestal. Siguen presentes, sin embargo, algunas deficiencias, por lo que sugerimos que las empresas madereras deberían considerar el mejorar el equilibrio de poder entre ellas y las comunidades, en particular mediante la revisión del enfoque actual de

Over the past 20 years, Participatory Forest Management (PFM) has become a dominant forest management strategy in Tanzania, covering more than 4.1 million hectares. Sustainable forest use and supply of wood products to local people are major aims of PFM. This paper assesses the sustainability of forest utilisation under PFM, using estimates of forest condition and extraction rates based on forest inventories and 480 household surveys from 12 forests; seven under Community Based Forest Management (CBFM), three under Joint Forest Management (JFM) and two under government management (non-PFM). Extraction of products is intense in forests close to Dar es Salaam, regardless of management regime. Further from Dar es Salaam, harvesting levels in forests under PFM are, with one prominent exception, broadly sustainable. Using GIS data from 116 wards, it is shown that half of the PFM forests in Tanzania are likely to be too small to satisfy current local wood demand.

The REDD policy proposes to deliver multiple outcomes including emissions reduction, livelihood support and sustainable forest management, and thus appears largely compatible with Community Forestry (CF). However, the addition of a new value (carbon sequestration) to traditional values of CF (local livelihoods and ecological resilience) may have implications for communities and CF management approaches at local level. Based on primary data collected from three Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) in Nepal, this paper explores local effects of REDD in pilot sites, where the program has been implemented since 2009. Data from in-depth interviews, focus groups and household survey indicates that REDD has generated both positive and negative outcomes. CF condition, CFUGs activities and network, and sources of CFUGs income appeared to be improved, whereas autonomy of CFUGs as independent decision making institutions and customary access rights to forests are both limited, and external political agendas are seen to be replacing the needs and interests of forest users.

Community perception of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) provides decision makers information useful to define forest policies and strategies. This paper aims to contribute to the SFM discourse and focuses on perception of SFM in a case study (Comunità Montana Matese, Italy). Perceptions and perspectives of forestry sector stakeholders are assessed using a survey methodology based on questionnaires and cognitive maps. “Cognitive mapping” is an approach to strategic thinking in order to explore the values, perspectives and objectives of the stakeholders. A collective cognitive map is used to identify stakeholder groups' perceptions of forest management practices effects on SFM criteria. The knowledge of the stakeholders' perceptions and the cognitive network of forest management practices and SFM criteria were used to compare agreements and disagreements among the categories of stakeholders. Findings of the research can support managers in the development of the forest management strategies.

The area of planted forests has increased in the past two decades in parallel with forest industry internationalization and shift of industrial capacity to the global south. This study analysed the relationship of planted forest area with macro-economic, institutional, and forest sector factors that were associated with country-level competiveness using panel data from 1990–2010 for 19 countries from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) region and 20 countries from the non-OECD region. In the OECD countries the most significant determinants of planted forest area were market size, tariffs, and industrial capacity; whereas in non-OECD countries, they were market size, level of corruption, and industrial production capacity.

La surface des plantations de forêts s'est accrue durant les deux dernières décénnies, parallèlement à une internationalisation de l'industrie forestière et à une avancée de la capacité industrielle vers le sud global. Cette étude a analysé la relation de la surface des plantations avec des facteurs de secteur forestier macro économiques institutionnels et associés à la compétition au niveau national, en utilisant la base de données de 1990 à 2010, pour les 19 pays de la région OCDE (Organisation de coopération pour le développement économique) et pour 20 pays n'en faisant pas partie. Dans les pays de l'OCDE, les facteurs déterminants les plus significatifs du secteur des plantations étaient l'envergure du marché, les taxes et la capacité industrielle; alors que dans les autres, ils étaient l'envergure du marché, le niveau de corruption et la capacité de production industrielle.

El área de plantaciones forestales ha aumentado en las últimas dos décadas, en paralelo a la internacionalización de la industria forestal y un cierto traslado de la capacidad industrial hacia el Sur Global. Este estudio analiza la relación entre la superficie forestal plantada y los factores macro-económicos, institucionales y del sector forestal asociados a la competitividad a nivel nacional, por medio de datos de panel del período 1990–2010 para 19 países miembros de la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económicos (OCDE) y 20 países no pertenecientes a la OCDE. Se encontró que, en los países de la OCDE, los determinantes más importantes de la superficie forestal plantada fueron el tamaño del mercado, los aranceles y la capacidad industrial, mientras que en los países no pertenecientes a la OCDE, fueron el tamaño del mercado, el nivel de corrupción y la capacidad de producción industrial.

In the context of the challenges that forestry education faces, the improvement of curricula to increase its attractiveness and address the changing needs of the society is imperative. With the aim of improving the forestry education offered at the University of Eldoret in Kenya, a joint project was carried out together with the University of Eastern Finland during 2011–2012. One of the tasks of the project was to revise the curriculum of the undergraduate programme in forestry. According to the needs assessment, the biggest gaps in subject-specific competencies were in areas such as forest information systems and forests and climate change, as well as in generic competencies such as computer skills. The need to update and expand contents (e.g. on dryland forestry) and learning methods (e.g. more practicals) clearly emerged. The proposed changes in the context of various initiatives to improve forestry education in Kenya and worldwide are discussed.

This paper evaluates the introduction of the Bolsa Floresta Programme (BFP) in the Juma Sustainable Development Reserve in Brazil. The BFP in Juma is a validated REDD project emphasizing payments for ecosystem services. The analyses are based on interviews with about 25% of the households in Juma, local leaders and representatives of the organiser of the BFP — the Fundação Amazonas Sustentável (FAS). The strategy of FAS is to avoid deforestation by providing support to local communities to improve their livelihoods. The paper analyses the influence of the BFP and the rules of the reserve on people's livelihoods, the local perception of the programme and the interactions between FAS and the local communities. It appears that the BFP is more of a development programme than a standard payment for ecosystem services initiative. As such it seems to have good potential, while we note that the main environmental effects are expected to materialize mainly in the future.

Substantial progress has been made in developing criteria and indicators under the Montreal Process, but difficulties have been encountered when reporting at a country level. Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the United States follow the criteria and indicators without change, while Australia and Canada use modified versions. Three countries (Australia, Canada and Korea) report on a reduced number of indicators. Extensive consultation with local-level governments and communities took place in Australia and the USA, resulting in increased harmonisation with local-level reporting. Reports have been produced for two main purposes: to fulfil the reporting obligations to the Montreal Process and to communicate the status of forests to a country's citizens, thereby engaging them in the process of sustainable forest management. This paper examines how well these two stated purposes have been achieved. Our research suggests that despite many seemingly successful initiatives, there is considerable room for improvement. Current reporting practices, if not corrected, will create difficulties in communicating progress in sustainable forest management amongst countries.