How vulnerable are the upland communities to climate change: A synthesis community-based forest management (CBFM) case studies and policy analysis

CBFM [community-based forest management] as a strategy refers to all organized efforts of the government to work with local communities in and adjacent to public forestlands. It underscores the principles of social equity, sustainability and community participation in forest management and biodiversity conservation. Through the CBFM strategy, the government empowers and allocates to local communities portions of the forestlands for development, protection, management, conservation and further grants them access to utilize forest resources. Thus, CBFM is seen as a key forestry program that can meet the challenges associated with climate change. The various CBFM activities including natural forests management, degraded lands rehabilitation and agoforestry are supportive of the objectives of promoting ecological stability and promoting livelihood opportunities for upland communities. This study assessed the readiness of the CBFM program to meet the challenges of climate change by doing a content analysis of its various policy issuances and by looking into the actual bio-physical and socio-economic accomplishments of CBFM program. Different sets of criteria and indicators were formujlated and tested to determine its contribution in reducing the impacts of climate change and whether the CBFM program adds to the resiliency of the forests and forest communities to adapt to climate change. Content analysis showed that climate change concerns are not mainstreamed in the various CBFM policy issuances, as these concerns are not explicitly mentioned in the policies. Despite this, CBFM policies are directed towards forest conservation, sustainable resource management and the enhancement of socioeconomic welfare of forest-dependent communities that have the potential to reduce current vulnerability of forests and upland communities. Review and analysis of the accomplishments of CBFM on ground revealed that: (1) current CBFM programs and projects help improve forest condition in a number of places; and (2) CBFM may not have significantly reduced current vulnerability of communities to climate-related and other socioeconomic stressors considering the limited livelihood opportunities developed by the project.