Topic Introduction

Forests and associated ecosystem services do not automatically benefit forest-based communities. A range of policy, governance and institutional arrangements mediate these benefits. Even if people are residing alongside the forests, these arrangements define the type and level of benefits and the beneficiaries. The poor, women or other marginalised groups often tend to benefit less as compared to relatively better off, male and dominant social groups. This topic presents those key arrangements, and show how these define and regulate access and benefits from sustainable forest management to a specific social category of people in a particular context.

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

• Explain diverse institutional arrangements in managing forest.
• Compare and contrast between different benefit sharing mechanisms.
• Explain the justice framework in the context of forest-based community livelihoods.
• Describe the link between forest tenure and livelihood outcome.

Topic Readings

The required readings will be drawn from open books, which can be freely downloaded by students without having to worry about copyright issues. There will be optional readings that students might want to purchase for digging deeper into the topic; essential information from all readings will be encapsulated in the courses’ Module Notebook.

Required Readings

• Module 3 Notebook Download Module 3 Notebook
   

Optional Readings

• McDermott, M., Mahanty, S., Schreckenberg, K., 2013. Examining equity: A multidimensional framework for assessing equity in payments for ecosystem services. Environmental Science and Policy 33, 416–427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2012.10.006 Links to an external site.

Fundamental Concepts

• Forest policy and governance
• Pattern of ownership
• Type of rights (granted verses exercised)
• Robustness and security of rights
• Institutional arrangements
• Conflicts around access and control
• Social Inclusion and gender equity
• Benefits-sharing arrangements
• Justice framework (recognition, procedural and distribution)

Video Lectures

Lesson 3.2 - 10 minutes

Note: To view Interactive Video on Lesson 3.2 (SCORM), use Firefox to access and open it.

Self-test Quiz

After viewing video lectures, take 10 minutes now to take the self-check quiz at Online Self-test 3.2.

Activities & Assignments

Online Discussions

Online Forum 3.2: Peer Review and refinement of situational analysis by including aspects such as livelihood arrangements, access, and benefits

Instructions:

1. During the first three days of the week, comment on at least two of your peers’ ideas.   Only comment on those peers with two comments or less.
2. During days 4-7, after getting comments from your peers, choose one of the two forests you proposed. 
3. Refine your situational analysis and post it including the following details:

1. 1. The institutional arrangements governing the particular forest.
   2. The rights granted and exercised by the community in the forest.
   3. Issues in the forest, between and within communities in and nearby the forest, and the government.

Topic Summary

The topic introduced the key policy, governance and institutional arrangements, which shape and define access to benefits from forests and associated ecosystem services. It also explains how these arrangements and can be improved to enhance sustainable and equitable livelihoods benefits to concerned groups for the benefit of people and forests.

Topic Self-review (Optional)

Use the following self-reflection questions as a study guide to conducting your self-review for the topic.

1. What are major rights granted to and exercised by the community in forest management in your location?
2. What are major conflicting issues that are hindering forest management in your location, i.e., within communities, inter-communities or between communities and government?
3. What are the institutional arrangements governing the forest nearby you?