Making community forest management work in northern Vietnam by pioneering participatory action

• Published in: Land use policy 2014-05, Vol.38, p.257-263
• Main Authors: Pinyopusarerk, Khongsak, Tran, Thi Thu Ha, Tran, Van Dien
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Benefits; Biological and medical sciences; Boundaries; Collective ownership of community forest; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Equality; Forest land allocation; Forestry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Households; Income; Land; Land use rights; Mountainous northern Vietnam; Participatory forest management; Social integration. Social relations. Social participation; Social organization. Social system. Social structure; Sociology; Success; Vietnam; Villages
• ISSN: 0264-8377; 1873-5754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2013.11.019

•This paper examines the success of processes tested in four villages in mountainous northern Vietnam to officially secure joint ownership of and exclusive rights to community forest land.•Active participation of and between village communities and willingness to compromise on the position of land boundaries were essential in land allocation.•Implementation of CFM led to enhanced equality and distribution of benefits, and better protection of forest resources. Transfer of land-use rights from the state to individual households and groups of households to encourage community forest management (CFM) and use of forest resources for livelihood improvement, has been in place in Vietnam since the 1990s. However, to date there has been no evidence of allocation to groups of households as community entities with joint ownership. This paper examines the success of processes tested in four villages in mountainous northern Vietnam to officially secure joint ownership of and exclusive rights to community forest land. After four years, implementation of CFM led to enhanced equality and distribution of benefits, and better protection of forest resources. Household income remained largely unchanged, in part because of loss of income from activities which were now illegal, but also because it was too early for benefits to flow from new forestry initiatives. Active participation of and between village communities in land-use planning and allocation, and a willingness to compromise, particularly on the position of land boundaries, were essential elements to ensuring equity in the distribution of benefits. Lack of enabling processes and experience in the implementation of government policies mean that further support for village communities is needed to fully realize the benefits from joint management of the allocated community forest.