Understanding the Role of Local Communities in Forest Concessions Mgt: a Participatory Forest Management Initiative in South Sudan

Encouragement of Participatory Forest Management practice for sustainable forestry requires understanding of the role of local communities in the management of forest concessions and forest development programs. Participatory Forest Management approach bears sense of ownership, rights of stakeholders involved and all stakeholders define their roles, responsibilities, obligations and understand their benefit in light of their input. Such initiative if adopted could reverse the centralized forest management system experienced under the National Forest Corporation of the Sudan. Concurrently,in South Sudan during the Comprehensive Peace Agreement(2005-2011), some of forest concession contracts were issued with inadequate consultation and also with little involvement of local communities adjacent to contracted forest reserves. This book emphasized useful approaches and relevant methods for forest managers, community forest management practitioners and interested regional and international researchers aiming at encouraging the participation of local communities in forest development programs. This work was part of development of South Sudan forest concession management policy guidelines