This study is part of a project implemented by the Regional Community Forestry Training Center for the Asia and Pacific (RECOFTC) in collaboration with the Rights and Resources Group (RRG) to advance policy and market reforms in four countries: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The…

<em>"I believe that the work of RECOFTC is of greater importance now than any time in its 20 year history. Governments of the region face enormous new challenges as they seek to develop forest conservation and management regimes that simultaneously reduce emissions from forest loss…

Opportunities for forest managers to gain knowledge and skills in participatory resource management processes are still limited. A recent survey by IUCN has brought this out where a third of PA managers indicated that one of the areas priority training areas for them was related to sustainable…

<em><strong>Under present and foreseeable economic and social trends in the Asia-Pacific region, can we achieve sustainable forest management and better realize the potential of forests and forestry to contribute to improved human well-being? </strong></em>
The…

<em><strong>Illegal logging and its associated trade remains a serious threat to forests and people in Southeast Asia. However, despite having caught the attention of the international community more than a decade ago, the illegal timber trade still accounts for a significant portion…

<strong><em>PES is a new concept gaining momentum in the Asia-Pacific region. But what are the enabling conditions for employing PES schemes, and how can they be made pro-poor? </em></strong>Payment for Environmental Services (PES) sets up systems where beneficiaries of…

<em>The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing rapid changes. There is a major need to strengthen capacities to assist countries and forestry stakeholders to respond in ways that benefit both people and forests.</em>
<h3>Summary</h3>
An externally conducted…

The project “Developing a System of Temperate and Tropical Aerobic Rice in Asia (STAR) undertook strategic research to develop sustainable aerobic rice systems for water- scarce irrigated and rainfed environments in Asia. Aerobic rice is a production system in which specially developed rice…

RECOFTC and RRI co-organized the International Conference on Poverty Reduction and Forests: Tenure, Market, and Policy Reforms, which was held 3-7 September 2007 in Bangkok.
A great deal of discussion in recent years has focused on the role of conservation, and more specifically,…

Debate over the potential of NTFPs for achieving ecosystem conservation and poverty alleviation has grown in the past decade. Concern has been raised that NTFP activities may not always provide the poor with the expected benefits, and could in some cases even act as a poverty trap (see…

The paper draws on findings from research in South Sulawesi and Jambi Provinces, Indonesia, looking at the role of collective action in helping two local community groups enhance their bargaining power vis a vis other market players (such as collectors, small- and large-scale industries) and…