Communities Protect Vietnam’s Forests: Socio-Economic Benefits Studied

For ten years now, a local community in north central Vietnam has managed a 600+ hectare forest, protecting it from illegal logging and fires.

Elephant Stream. Photo Credit: Lucile Robinson.

Members of the Forest Governance Learning Group - which includes development workers, foresters and lawyers united by a desire to improve decision-making in forest policy - travel here to gauge the programme's success.

"The stream glistens in the sunshine and the forest being protected by the villagers provides a stunning backdrop to the area’s nearby ecotourism site," writes Leianne Rolington, but the social and economic benefits are less clear.

Insights like this can be heard further at the 6th International Conference on Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change in Hanoi, Vietnam from 19-22 April 2012.