Tenure security and forest tenure reform in China
2009
S. Holden | J. Xu | X. Jiang
This study assesses the determinants of forestland allocation to households in the forest tenure reforms in China in the period 1980-2005. It also examines the current level of tenure security on forestland and how this tenure security is affected by past and more recent policy changes. <br /><br />The paper finds that issuing of written documentation of forestland rights in form of forestland certificates for a specific period enhances tenure security beyond what the otherwise perceived rights to land do. Such certificates appears to provide additional security to that of the perceived rights that households had to their land whether these were captured in a disaggregated way or through an aggregate index. Indeed, strengthening the feeling of tenure security on plots may be the most significant finding of policy relevance. <br /><br />The paper also reveals that the equity principle was important in the process of forestland allocation to households in the 1980s but the principle appears not to play an important role in the recent forestland allocation to households that took place after year 2000. Democratic elections appear to have stimulated the recent allocation of forestland to households. <br /><br />The paper emphasises that expanding the mentioned certification can be recommended. It is likely that enhancing tenure security through this way would stimulate investment and lead to better management of forestland, and would be the subject of future research. The paper lastly indicates that its findings are in line with recent findings in Ethiopia, where land certification has been found to stimulate tree planting and maintenance of soil conservation structures.
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