February 2013: The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and the UN University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) have released a report, titled “Governing the Forests: An Institutional Analysis of REDD+ and Community Forest Management in Asia.” The report presents a background on REDD+, explores ways to link REDD+ to community forestry, and provides lessons learned and recommendations.

The report explores case studies from Bangladesh, India and Indonesia, focusing on successful examples of forest-based climate change mitigation at the community level, and the role of public-private partnerships for community forestry and REDD+. In reviewing the case studies, the report concludes that linking community forestry and REDD+ can deliver multiple benefits from climate change mitigation and adaptation, livelihood development and strengthened sustainable forest management (SFM).

Criteria for success identified in the report include: linking community forests to international regimes, including those aimed at addressing climate change, promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, as well as building strong local institutions for forest management; connecting carbon management to local forest management practices and economic activities; establishing community benefit sharing; and clarifying land tenure and resource use rights. The report also emphasizes the importance of strong monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) systems, including at the community level. [ITTO Technical Reports Webpage] [Publication: Governing the Forests: An Institutional Analysis of REDD+ and Community Forest Management in Asia]