RRI Tenure Region Latin America
Forest Tenure in Latin America
RRI’s Tenure Tracking Data assesses global advances and setbacks regarding Indigenous Peoples’, Afro-descendant Peoples’, local communities’, and the women within these communities’ legally recognized rights to forests, land, and natural resources. Explore data from Latin America.
Change in Distribution of Forest Tenure in 9 Countries in Latin America, 2002-2017

RRI’s Forest Tenure Database tracks the statutory distribution of Forest Tenure going back to 2002. Under RRI’s typology, all forest area in the countries studied are classified as either: (1) Government Administered; (2) Designated for Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant Peoples, and local communities; (3) Owned by Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant Peoples, and local communities; or (4) Privately Owned by Individuals and Firms. To read more about the methodology underpinning this classification, click here.

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Bundle of Rights in Latin America

For 9 countries in Latin America, RRI maintains detailed qualitative data on the strength of Forest Tenure rights legally held by Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant Peoples, and local communities. Learn more about RRI’s Bundle of Rights Methodology here.

The rights of communities and their members to enter a forest area.
Communities’ right to benefit from harvesting non-timber forest products (NTFPs) for subsistence (partial credit) or commercial (full credit) purposes, subject to the terms and limits of management plans and/or licenses and environmental and other legislation.
Communities’ right to benefit from harvesting timber for subsistence (partial credit) or commercial (full credit) purposes, subject to the terms and limits of management plans and/or licenses and environmental and other legislation.
Communities’ right to regulate and make decisions about forests to which they have recognized rights (full credit)–or to participate on a management board or other co-management arrangement (partial credit)–within the limits of management plans and environmental and other legislation.
The right of communities to refuse outsiders (other individuals, groups, or entities) access to and use of a particular resource.
Communities’ right to judicially appeal government efforts to extinguish, alienate, or revoke one, several, or all of the communities’ rights, and to receive compensation if such challenges fail.
Communities’ right to temporarily transfer their land rights to others.
Communities’ right to transfer their land rights to others as collateral in order to access a mortgage or other line of credit.
Communities’ right to sell their land.
No CreditPartial CreditFull CreditNot AvailableCase by CaseTo be determined

Source: RRI. 2017. Depth of Rights Database.

Distribution of Forest Tenure by Country in Latin America, in Mha

Explore country-level data on the distribution of Forest Tenure over time in Mha. Click on the country name to learn more about the legal frameworks recognizing community-based tenure, including the rights of Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and community women.

Country

Government Administered

2002 2017

Designated for Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant Peoples, and Local Communities

2002 2017

Owned by Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant Peoples, and Local Communities

2002 2017

Privately Owned by Individuals and Firms

2002 2017
Argentina: Argentina
2002: 5.70
2017: n.d.
2002: n.d.
2017: 0.87
2002: -
2017: -
2002: 22.20
2017: n.d.
Belize: Belize
2002: n.d.
2017: n.d.
2002: n.d.
2017: -
2002: -
2017: n.d.
2002: n.d.
2017: n.d.
Bolivia: Bolivia
2002: 41.43
2017: 28.03
2002: 1.58
2017: 0.47
2002: 16.61
2017: 24.71
2002: 0.48
2017: 1.55
Brazil: Brazil
2002: 341.02
2017: 238.39
2002: 10.68
2017: 40.41
2002: 75.27
2017: 118.05
2002: 94.29
2017: 99.89
Chile: Chile
2002: n.d.
2017: 5.49
2002: n.d.
2017: n.d.
2002: n.d.
2017: 0.86
2002: n.d.
2017: 11.32
Colombia: Colombia
2002: 38.00
2017: 26.38
2002: -
2017: -
2002: 24.50
2017: 32.93
2002: -
2017: -
Costa Rica: Costa Rica
2002: 1.11
2017: 1.10
2002: -
2017: -
2002: 0.34
2017: 0.28
2002: 1.32
2017: 1.06
Ecuador: Ecuador
2002: n.d.
2017: n.d.
2002: -
2017: 0.02
2002: -
2017: 1.27
2002: n.d.
2017: n.d.
Guatemala: Guatemala
2002: 1.85
2017: n.d.
2002: 0.53
2017: 0.40
2002: 0.29
2017: 1.20
2002: 1.53
2017: n.d.
Guyana: Guyana
2002: 16.62
2017: 13.17
2002: -
2017: 3.35
2002: -
2017: -
2002: 0.00
2017: 0.00
Honduras: Honduras
2002: 4.07
2017: 1.18
2002: -
2017: 0.60
2002: 0.00
2017: 1.79
2002: 1.36
2017: 1.80
Mexico: Mexico
2002: 2.75
2017: 3.65
2002: -
2017: -
2002: 44.00
2017: 45.47
2002: 8.30
2017: 16.92
Panama: Panama
2002: 3.92
2017: 3.63
2002: n.d.
2017: n.d.
2002: 0.90
2017: 0.90
2002: 0.04
2017: 0.08
Peru: Peru
2002: 58.77
2017: 54.38
2002: 1.57
2017: 4.98
2002: 10.52
2017: 12.78
2002: 5.29
2017: 0.12
Suriname: Suriname
2002: 15.30
2017: 15.11
2002: -
2017: -
2002: -
2017: -
2002: 0.09
2017: 0.09
Venezuela: Venezuela
2002: 49.15
2017: n.d.
2002: 0.00
2017: n.d.
2002: -
2017: -
2002: -
2017: -
Subtotal, Complete Case LMICs in Latin America (9 countries): Subtotal, Complete Case LMICs in Latin America (9 countries)
2002: 519.07
2017: 381.40
2002: 13.84
2017: 49.81
2002: 171.24
2017: 236.01
2002: 111.13
2017: 121.43
Total, Latin America (16 countries): Total, Latin America (16 countries)
2002: 579.69
2017: 390.53
2002: 14.38
2017: 51.10
2002: 172.44
2017: 240.25
2002: 134.91
2017: 132.83

Highlighting in gray indicates Complete Case Countries.
Dashes (-) denote situations in which the tenure category in question is not legally possible under national law.
n.d. = No Data
Source: RRI. 2018. At a Crossroads: Trends in Recognition of Community-Based Forest Tenure from 2002-2017.

Women’s Rights to Community Forests in Latin America

RRI’s Gender Database builds on RRI’s Bundle of Rights methodology to assess the extent to which the same countries’ legal frameworks recognize Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and local community women’s specific rights to community forests, and whether or not those countries are meeting their obligations under national and international laws. Learn more about RRI’s Gender Methodology here.

Does the constitution contain gender-specific equal-protection provisions or prohibit gender-based discrimination?
The constitution, land law, or other overarching environmental or agrarian law generally affirms all women’s property rights or prohibits property-related practices that would adversely affect women’s land access or ownership.
In comparison to their male counterparts, overarching national laws provide equal protection for the intestate inheritance rights of some (partial credit) or all (full credit) daughters, widows, and women in consensual unions.
The CBTR explicitly defines women as community members (full credit), as opposed to defining membership as extending to all adults/households (partial credit).
The CBTR addresses inheritance (partial credit), and women’s inheritance rights are specified (full credit).
Women are guaranteed the right to vote or take equivalent binding action in community decision-making bodies (partial credit), and a quorum of women voters is required to be present for the decision-making body to take other legally binding action (full credit).
A minimum quota of women must be community-level executive body members (partial credit), and a quorum of women executive members must be present for the executive body to take binding action (full credit).
The CBTR addresses mechanisms for resolving forest tenure disputes (partial credit), including specific considerations for women (full credit).
Not Applicable Case by Case No Credit Partial Credit Full Credit
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