Capacity-building Training in Community Forest Management – the right based approach

Allocation of natural forests to communities for management is a major, appropriate policy of the Communist Party and the State. However, because most of the forest areas allocated to communities are degraded and the capacity of communities is limited, so far they have not brought much economic benefits for the people. Therefore, with a desire to make forests bring good life to communities, it is essential to equip and improve people’s knowledge and skills to develop forest capital and generate income for their families. In July and August 2011, the Center for Development of Community Initiative and Environment (C&E) in collaboration with local partners organized capacity building courses in “Community forest management – right based approach” for local people and authorities in eight project communes in ThuaThienHueProvince and QuangNamProvince.

Through this training program, 98 people in Thuong Quang Commune and Huong Phu Commune in Nam Dong District and Phong My Commune and Phong Son Commune in Phong Dien District in Thua Thien Hue Province and 76 people in Tabhing Commune and Chaval Commune in Nam Giang District and Ba Commune and Tu Commune in Dong Giang District in Quang Nam Province were trained with knowledge and skills about their rights and how to access their rights in community forest management. They learned and practiced teamwork skills and planning skills for forest management and protection. The courses also provided instructions on formulation and implementation of forest protection conventions and farming skills for some plants and animals of high economic values such as Sen Trung, Thau Dau, rubber trees, porcupines, and wild boars, etc. Trainers with rich expertise, practical experience and appropriate training methods helped to create a very exciting atmosphere in the classroom. The participants bravely inquired and even questioned trainers about their concerns and thoughts about rights and responsibilities of the people as well as local authorities and agencies in relation to the implementation of these rights in community forest management and in forest and land allocation. The courses also discussed solutions to forest management, protection and enrichment in order to maintain and develop the state-allocated forest resources and generate immediate and long-term economic benefits for the people.

The training courses achieved their expected objectives. All participants grasped the taught knowledge and skills within the program schedule. Participants expected that C&E could hold many more training courses in the near future for people to have more knowledge about forest management and protection and to apply appropriate measures to increase incomes from their allocated forest areas so that they could live with forests.

Some pictures of the training workshops in Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam province:



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