News from the RECOFTC-RRI International Conference on Poverty Reduction and Forests: Tenure” Market and Policy Reforms” 4-7 September 2007″ Bangkok

Bangkok” September 7″ 2007

Huge Gap in Forestry Laws and Their Application

Astartling new report released today at an international conference inBangkok on Poverty Reduction and Forests reveals the precarioussituation of millions of people whose lives depend on thefast-depleting forests of SE Asia.

With over one billion of theworld's poorest people living in and near areas classified as forests”urgent reforms need to be implemented to give them secure rights onwhich to rebuild their lives.

The report” Land” Forest andPeople: Facing the Challenges in South-East Asia” was compiled by acoalition of local” national and international agencies. It shows thata huge gap remains between legal options and realities on the ground.It is part of the Listening” Learning Sharing Launch (LLSL) – a scoping exercise to launch the Rights and Resources Initiative” and is co-authored by RECOFTC” ICRAF” and Forest Peoples Programme.

Launching the report” the Executive Director of the Bangkok-based Regional Community Forestry Training Centre (RECOFTC)”Dr Yam Malla” said that “while some countries lag behind others indrafting new laws” the most glaring gap we have found is between thelaw and its application on the ground.

“Most people’s lives inforests remain insecure and even illegal. The result is increasingpoverty” continuing marginalisation and” at times” violence”” he said.

Read the press release | Read the report