From August 19–22, 2024, public forest agency leaders within the MegaFlorestais network from some of the world's most forested countries met in the state of Pará in northcentral Brazil. They gathered to learn about ongoing forest management programs, progress and challenges of elevating the role of community-led conservation, preventing forest loss, and promoting restoration and reforestation around the world.
This research provides a timely reminder of the global significance of community-held lands and territories; their importance for the protection, restoration, and sustainable use of tropical forestlands across the world; and the critical gaps in the international development architecture that have so far undermined progress towards the legal recognition of such lands and territories.
This summary highlights findings of three RRI studies conducted in 2020 as they relate to the DRC. This document explains what these three studies mean for the DRC and aims to equip local communities and civil society organizations (CSOs) with data to advance their advocacy work to influence future reforms, and help the government, donors, private sector actors, and conservationists make informed decisions.
If properly leveraged, natural climate solutions can contribute over 37% of cost-effective CO2 mitigation by 2030. Evidence shows Indigenous Peoples and local communities are key to achieving such outcomes. This report presents the most comprehensive assessment to date of carbon storage in documented community lands worldwide.
At a Crossroads: Consequential Trends in Recognition of Community-Based Forest Tenure from 2002-2017
This analysis reports on trends in global forest tenure from 2002-2017. It is the fourth in a series of analyses monitoring the legal recognition of forest tenure around the world.
This study assesses the cumulative risks and impacts of all REDD+ initiatives in the DRC province of Mai-Ndombe on the rights and subsistence of local communities and Indigenous Peoples. Using existing tools while taking into account gray areas in the REDD+ process, the study maps all existing and planned REDD+ initiatives in the province.
This report discusses the critical role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the context of emerging climate and development priorities, and the unprecedented opportunity to scale up the recognition and protection of community land and resource rights—both for the benefit of rural peoples and for the realization of global peace and prosperity.
A new report quantifying the carbon stored aboveground in tropical forests that are legally owned or traditionally held by Indigenous Peoples and local communities in 37 countries across tropical America, Africa, and Asia.
The DRC is home to some of the world’s most important forests and biomes, so reducing deforestation quickly and efficiently is an important part of…
This brief summarizes findings on community ownership and control of lands in 19 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
L’objectif de cette série de cinq essais est d’informer et d’aider à structurer le plaidoyer et les actions contestant la faiblesse juridique des droits fonciers…
This five brief series, written by panelist Liz Alden Wily, analyzes the roots of African land tenure systems, recent policy trends and puts the phenomenon…
Forests have long been a hinterland: remote” “backward” areas largely controlled by external” often urban” actors and seen to be of little use to national…
The Rights and Resources Initiative released the Tropical Forest Tenure Assessment in May 2009 along with the International Tropical Timber Organization. The report found that…
Lessons and findings regarding customary practices and Africa's forest tenure reform process
In recent decades there has been a shift away from government control of forest land towards increasing access and ownership for indigenous groups, communities, individuals,…