Community managed forests and forest protected areas: An assessment of their conservation effectiveness across the tropics

Published Date
15 March 2012, Vol.268:6–17, doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2011.05.034
Multiple Use of Tropical Forests: From Concept to Reality

Author 

Luciana Porter-Bolland ^a,,

Edward A. Ellis ^b

Manuel R. Guariguata ^c

Isabel Ruiz-Mallén ^d

Simoneta Negrete-Yankelevich ^a

Victoria Reyes-García ^e

• aInstituto de Ecología, A.C., Veracruz, Mexico
• bCentro de Investigaciones Tropicales, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz, Mexico
• cCenter for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor, Indonesia
• dInstitut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
• eICREA and Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain

Available online 20 June 2011.

Abstract

This paper assesses the role of protected and community managed forests for the long term maintenance of forest cover in the tropics. Through a meta-analysis of published case-studies, we compare land use/cover change data for these two broad types of forest management and assess their performance in maintaining forest cover. Case studies included 40 protected areas and 33 community managed forests from the peer reviewed literature. A statistical comparison of annual deforestation rates and a Qualitative Comparative Analysis were conducted. We found that as a whole, community managed forests presented lower and less variable annual deforestation rates than protected forests. We consider that a more resilient and robust forest conservation strategy should encompass a regional vision with different land use types in which social and economic needs of local inhabitants, as well as tenure rights and local capacities, are recognized. Further research for understanding institutional arrangements that derive from local governance in favor of tropical forest conservation is recommended.

Highlights

► Forest loss in protected (PA) and community managed forests (CMF) was compared by meta-analysis. ► Deforestation rates and driving factors of 40 Pantropical PAs and 33 CFMs were analyzed with QCA. ► Mean annual rates of forest loss in PAs was greater and more variant than in CMF. ► PAs are successful at conserving forest in isolated areas with little demographic pressure. ► Governance and legitimacy are suggested as key factors for conservation success in CFMs.

Keywords

Land use/cover change

Tropical deforestation

Meta-analysis

Qualitative Comparative Analysis

Community managed forests

Protected areas

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  Corresponding author. Present address: Carretera Antigua a Coatepec #351, El Haya, Coatepec, Veracruz 91070, Mexico. Tel.: +52 228 8421800x4317.

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http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112711003215