Community-based forestry as a concept has a long history in international forestry. The idea of involving indigenous people in decision-making about local resources so as to enhance employment/economic/quality of life opportunities has found broad acceptance in many developing countries. These lessons have not been lost on nations of the north. Here in the United States, many communities currently struggling with a range of issues including the retention of traditional economies, increasing rates of poverty, and other economically and/or socially limiting issues are turning to community based efforts.

This session explores the evolving nature of community-based forestry in the United States by introducing some of the issues faced in a range of communities that have historically depended on natural resources as the base to their economy. Many of these communities have limited access to their local resources, either because of extant ownership patterns, evolving new resource uses, or conflict over forest use and access. Grappling with such issues while struggling to remain economically viable, many have turned to a new set of initiatives to address local issues. Despite their geographic, social, and ethnic differences, these efforts share similar constraints and opportunities.

To convey the nature of various community-based forestry projects across a diverse set of communities, we present basic sociodemographic and economic data, common program elements and issues, and findings from key informant interviews. This information provides a perspective for understanding local community views – both by those directly involved in the initiatives as well as by those removed from the project.

In this session we explore issues of conflict, shared perspectives, and opportunities for advancing community-based forestry when local agreement prevails. We also consider how the “resource wars,” engaged and fought by those from outside the community, have frustrated and crippled locally initiated, community-based forestry projects. Through this effort we hope to present a framework that fosters the opportunity for other local community-based forestry initiatives to take root, grow, and prosper.