Vital Forest Graphics

Loss of human lives due to conflict over land 1997-2007, Brazil

Amapa

Roraima

Maranhao

Amazonas

Para

Paraiba

Piaui

Acre

Rondônia

Alagoas

Tocantins

resistant to ceding control of forests to local people. The legal right to manage the land is not always a sufficient safeguard, partic- ularlywhen the rule of law is not upheld. With the doubling of the world’s popu- lation since 1960, land development pressures have mounted. The rights of forest communities have too often been trampled on as prejudice and compet- ing interests have led to intimidation and violence against indigenous and traditional communities. Land use conflicts In one month during 2007, more than 500 conflicts were reported between local communities in Indonesia and private interests seeking to establish oil palm plantations (Friends of the Earth 2008). Commission of Pastors of the Land (CPT) in Brazil reported that 1 317 families were expelled from their land in 2006, with more than twice the number of families experiencing the same fate in 2007. CPT also reported that 19 people were assassinated over land rights issues in Brazil during 2007. Local self-management comes with its own challenges, whether in the realm of protecting natural resources or establishing sustainable livelihoods. Key ingredients include reforming national laws and policies, investing in local forest governance, ensuring stake- holder involvement and raising aware- ness at the local and national levels.

Sergipe

Mato Grosso

Bahia

Pernambuco

Minas Gerais

Mato Grosso do Sul

Espirito Santo

Sao Paulo

Rio de Janerio

Parana

Santa Catarina

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Source: Comissão Pastoral da Terra 2008.

time, the country’s unprotected forest areas have come under increased pres- sure from human settlements, illegal harvesting of wood, fires and mining. The Tanzanian government recognized the need to take action in the 1990s and adopted forest and rural develop- ment policies to encourage local for- est management. Participatory forest management is now operating or being established in more than 1 800 villages, encompassing more than 3.6 mil- lion hectares of forest land – equal to approximately 11 per cent of the coun- try’s total forest cover. In Mexico, ownership/user rights to forest resources are mainly allocated to communities that manage and use the forests. About 60 per cent of the total forest area in the country is common property land owned by ejidos , groups of people who have the right to use the land, or by indigenous communities (FAO 2009). In Brazil, the Government has demarcated over 105 million hectares of indigenous territories to establish

488 indigenous reserves. These reserves represent 12.5 per cent of Brazil total area. In so doing indigenous communi- ties have been granted use of the lands forever (Povos Indigenas 2008). At the international level, the con- cept of local resource management has been recognized through the idea of Community Conserved Areas (CCAs). The 7th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity acknowledged the CCA concept and called for “full and effective participation by 2008 of indigenous and local commu- nities… in the management of existing, and the establishment and management of new, protected areas” (CBD 2004). The goal of “full and effective par- ticipation” in the management and creation of protected areas has yet to be fulfilled. In some cases, the creation of protected areas has in fact barred local use of traditional forestlands. In oth- ers, land is not well demarcated and is subject to multiple ownership claims. Central government authorities and concession owners are also frequently

See also pages 14, 16, 32, 44

VITAL FOREST GRAPHICS 53