Community-Based Forestry in the US: An Overview of Activities and Institutions

Abstract

"Community forestry in the US involves a diversity of activities and institutional arrangements which vary by context. In community-based forestry, communities generally share in decision-making and benefits of forest activities and contribute resources and knowledge to managing forests and utilizing forest products. They do so with the joint goals of achieving and sustaining social well-being and ecological health. In the US, there are at least five categories of forestry activities which contribute to community forestry -- each has its own historical roots and geographical variations: forest-based community development, community-owned forests, community and urban forestry, community-based conservation, and forestry cooperatives. Community forestry can occur on public or privately owned lands, and extends beyond land management into the processing and marketing of forest products and services. Community forestry is carried out by a diversity of organizations in the US, usually through partnerships. In additional to grassroots non-governmental organizations, regional networks, government agencies and national advocacy groups are important players. Together they are creating an alternative model for how forests are managed in the US that emphasizes social wellbeing, economic viability and ecological sustainability while enhancing community participation and benefits."