Role of Forest Related Policies and Laws on Sustainable Forest Management Practice: A Critical Overview

Abstract

Following the rate with which forest resources get degraded, increasing attention has been paid to the conscious and sound efforts towards mainstreaming appropriate interventions to halt the menace. Following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio 1992, the idea of sustainable forest management has become popular in the international arena which admonishes various member-states and local governments to adopt policies and laws to enhance sustainable forest practices. The idea of SFM has been reinforced by the recent Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest degradation sustainable biodiversity management (REDD+) policy. In that regard, attention to laws, policies and institutions towards sustainable forest management has increased. This paper adopts a desk review approach to assess the role of forest-related policies on sustainable forest management practices. Essential tools and strategies for SFM are discussed, including measures to enhance enforcement of SFM policies and procedures. The study argues that actor constellation; autonomy to local actors and external actors involved are crucial in the drive towards sustainable forest management.

Keywords: sustainable forest management; policies; institutions; community involvement; enforcement

DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/73-06

Publication date: February 28^th 2021