Social Forestry helps Adapt to Climate Change

Social forestry—where local communities hold the rights to manage the forest—is one of the Indonesian government’s strategies for poverty alleviation and improvements in food security. It is also increasing important for resolving forest conflicts while improving the ecological function of the forest. Indonesia has set up “social forestry” as a national priority program, where 12.7 million ha are to be allocated for community management under five different schemes (village forestry, community forestry, community timber plantations, co-management with private partners, and finally customary forests). The first four schemes noted here give access to local communities and the ability to manage lands for 35 years (a period that can be extended). Customary forests on the other hand gives access and control for indigenous groups to manage, and these lands are no longer considered as state forest, but rather as forests under communal ownership.