Ten years of community forestry

Energy crisis and Sahelian drought draw attention to rural people's dependence on fuelwood and other tree products; drought in Africa and flooding in Asia underline impacts of deforestation and degradation of tree cover.

MID 1970s

FAO and SIDA convene expert group on Forestry and Local Community Development, to draw on experience of initiatives in India (Social Forestry), South Korea (Village Woodlots), Thailand (Forest Villages), Tanzania (Village Afforestation) and elsewhere.

Launch of FAO FLCD Programme, new World Bank forest policy, ICRAF.

LATE 1970s

1978 World Forestry Congress devoted to “Forests for People”.

1979 FAO World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development.

1981 UN Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy, and the FAO Fuelwood Map, focus attention on energy needs.

EARLY 1980s

First generation of projects focus mainly on creating new village level resources to meet local subsistence needs through afforestation.

Accumulating experience from projects and research identifies importance of economic dimension to farmer and communal decisions, and of forests and trees as sources of food, income, employment and household security.

MID and LATE 1980s

Second generation of projects emphasise local control and management of existing forest land resources, and multiple role of trees in fanning systems.

Focus on working through local institutions.

	Energy crisis and Sahelian drought draw attention to rural people's dependence on fuelwood and other tree products; drought in Africa and flooding in Asia underline impacts of deforestation and degradation of tree cover.
MID 1970s	FAO and SIDA convene expert group on Forestry and Local Community Development, to draw on experience of initiatives in India (Social Forestry), South Korea (Village Woodlots), Thailand (Forest Villages), Tanzania (Village Afforestation) and elsewhere.
		Launch of FAO FLCD Programme, new World Bank forest policy, ICRAF.
	LATE 1970s	1978 World Forestry Congress devoted to “Forests for People”.
		1979 FAO World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development.
			1981 UN Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy, and the FAO Fuelwood Map, focus attention on energy needs.
		EARLY 1980s	First generation of projects focus mainly on creating new village level resources to meet local subsistence needs through afforestation.
				Accumulating experience from projects and research identifies importance of economic dimension to farmer and communal decisions, and of forests and trees as sources of food, income, employment and household security.
			MID and LATE 1980s	Second generation of projects emphasise local control and management of existing forest land resources, and multiple role of trees in fanning systems.
				Focus on working through local institutions.