Challenging the State: Devolutionary Tenure Transitions for Saving and Expanding Forests

Abstract I address a contentious element in forest property relations to illustrate the role of ownership protecting and expanding cover by examining extent which rural communities may legally own forests. The premise is that whilst state-owned protected areas have contributed enormously survival, this has been insufficiently successful justify mass dispossession customary land-owning entailed. Further, argue state co-option community lands unwarranted. Rural on all continents ably demonstrate will capacity conserve forests – provided their recognized. explore rights reforms now enabling this. replication potential forestlands great enough deserve flagship status global commitments expand including upcoming new Convention Biological Diversity (CBD).