Forestland and forest-product enterprises managed by smallholders, community groups, and forest-dependent peoples can make significant contributions to sustainable development. However, the investment required for such enterprises is often lacking or misplaced. In addition, concerns have been raised about potential threats to the legal or customary rights of forest dependent people when investments are made by outside stakeholders. Work needs to be done to understand the problems faced by local forest owners and managers in this context, and solutions must be found to direct investments in a sound manner towards their enterprises. Starting in 2009, TFD convened a series of dialogues on these issues.

TFD's ILCF dialogue initiative was created with the Growing Forest Partnerships (GFP), which is a collaboration between the International Union for the Conservation of Nature(IUCN), the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with the support of the World Bank. GFP’s goal is to support local initiatives and mechanisms that will improve the quality and quantity of investment in the forest sector through the implementation of bottom-up, in-country actions. It aims to give a voice to marginalized, forest-dependent groups in national and international policy processes.

TFD’s ILCF initiative is sponsored by the Growing Forest Partnerships (GFP)and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

GFP Brochure

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guide to Investing in locally controlled forestry

The guide emerged from eleven meetings TFD organized on behalf of Growing Forest Partnerships initiative, catalyzed by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, FAO and the World Bank.

These meetings gathered indigenous people, family foresters, researchers, government representatives, investment bankers, donors and philanthropists to share views on the role of investment in the forest sector.

The new guide presents their insights along with 17 case studies from across the world,  of both new and established businesses, in developed and developing countries. It shows how investing in locally-controlled forestry offers investors secure access, a ‘social license to operate’, reduced risks and better long term management opportunities, as well as evidence of social and environmental sustainability. Read more.

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Dialogues

Panel on Investing in Locally Controlled Forestry – TFD Side Event at UNFF10

12 April 2013 - Istanbul, Turkey

TFD lead a side event on “Key Findings from TFD’s Dialogues on Investing in Locally Controlled Forestry” at the United Nations Forum on Forests that took place 8-19 April 2013 in Istanbul, Turkey.

A diverse panel of forest stakeholders shared their experience and insights on how to best invest in locally controlled forestry.

               
Location: TOPKAPI A Lutfi Kirdar Convention and Exhibition Center (LKCC)
Time: 12 April 2013, 18:00-19:30hrs

Moderator: Xiaoting Hou – The Forests Dialogue (TFD)

Presenters and Panel:
Gary Dunning  - The Forests Dialogue (TFD)
Ghan Shyam Pandey – Global Alliance of Community Forestry (GACF)
Peter deMarsh – International Family Forest Alliance (IFFA)
Patrick Wylie – International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Bjorn Merkell – Swedish Forest Agency (SFA)
Diji Chandrasekharan Behr - PROFOR

Event Flyer
 

Presentation

Realizing the Potential of Investing in Locally Controlled Forestry -Gary Dunning

IUCN Congress Pavilion Event: Key Findings from TFD’s Dialogues on ILCF

8 September 2012 - Jeju, South Korea

TFD organized a group of experts to present their experience on how to best invest in locally controlled forestry (LCF). TFD's Dialogue Initiative on ILCF has involved over 400 stakeholders and examined case studies in seven countries. The key findings from this unprecedented effort on ILCF were presented by

Chris Buss (IUCN)
Minnie Degawan (KADIOAN)
Gary Dunning (TFD)
Peter Gardiner (Mondi)
Eduardo Mansur (FAO)

Meeting materials available.

Synthesis Workshop

14-15 May 2012 - Edinburgh, Scotland

Workshop participants met to ensure that the draft of TFD's ILCF Review is comprehensive and reflects the richness of the full ILCF Initiative.

The workshop was hosted by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).

Ninth Dialogue on ILCF - Sweden Field Dialogue

16-19 April 2012 - Växjö, Sweden

 This field dialogue focused on the Swedish family forestry model that utilizes the cooperative structure to build a thriving forest products industry in Europe.  Lessons from the dialogue were used to improve the Investment Support Guide. 

This Field Dialogue was hosted by the Swedish Forest Agency (SFA), with support from The Federation of Swedish Family Forest Owners, Södra, and Linnæus University.

Meeting materials available.

Eighth Dialogue on ILCF - Indonesia Field Dialogue

6-9 February 2012 - Yogyakarta, Indonesia

The Indonesia field dialogue focused on testing the draft guidelines and investment process model against real cases on ILCF with the aim to refine the guidelines and model into a practical tool that can lead to more partnerships and increase investment streams in LCF. This dialogue was hosted by Telapak and The Forest Trust (TFT).

Meeting materials available.

Seventh Dialogue on ILCF - Burkina Faso Field Dialogue

12-15 September 2011 - Ouagoudougou, Burkina Faso

The Burkina Faso Field Dialogue focused on several ILCF cases within the country.  The aim was to refine the principles and guidelines for ILCF, define the steps for an “investment process model” that are critical for successful “deals” in investments in LCF and to identify concrete actions for new partnerships and financing mechanisms for ILCF using real world situations.

The Burkina Faso dialogue was hosted by TreeAid.

Meeting materials available.

ILCF Expert’s Workshop London

5-6 April 2011 - London, UK

This expert’s workshop was held to develop the "investment support guide" for ILCF.

Meeting materials available.

Sixth Dialogue on ILCF - Kenya Field Dialogue

29 November - 2 December 2010 - Mombasa, Kenya

The Kenya Field Dialogue built directly on the conclusions from the London dialogue in May 2010 and focused on the role innovative partnerships can play in increasing investment streams into LCF. The dialogue also aimed to strengthen the implementation of GFP’s work plan agreed to by the ILCF stakeholders, by contributing to the development of specific guidance tools. The proposed tools included a set of principles and guidelines for ILCF and an investment process model demonstrating the steps necessary for successfully invest in LCF. The Kenya ILCF Field Dialogue was hosted by IUCN in collaboration with Nedbank, Wildlife Works Carbon, Kenya’s Forest Action Network and the National Alliance of Community Forest Associations.

Meeting materials available.

Fifth Dialogue on ILCF - “Investors” Dialogue

24-25 May 2010 - London, United Kingdom

TFD's fifth ILCF dialogue was a first opportunity to have a wide range of investors to converse directly with representatives of family, community and indigenous peoples’ rights-holders to discuss what they think needs to be included within this ILCF Initiative to continue to make progress on increasing investment in LCF.

Meeting materials available.

Fourth Dialogue on ILCF - Macedonia Field Dialogue

1-4 December 2009 - Ohrid, Macedonia

This dialogue built on the dialogues in Panama and Nepal and meetings and side events that the three rights holder groups (G3) had at the World Forestry Congress.  It focused on the opportunities and challenges faced by small private forest owners in Macedonia and the region.  The group also set the agenda for 2010 and the continuation of TFD's ILCF initiative.

Meeting materials available.

Third Dialogue on ILCF - Nepal Field Dialogue

21-25 September 2009 - Kathmandu, Nepal

The objectives of the Nepal dialogue were to continue building on the synergy and relationship established among the stakeholders in Brussels and Panama to further instill trust within the group. It had a strong focus on the role of community forestry in LCF. During this dialogue, the group also developed its programs for subsequent dialogues, the World Forestry Congress in October 2009 and COP 15 in December 2009. The dialogue aimed to identify the factors that have contributed to successful experiences seen on the ground. Specific catalytic actions that can improve and ensure investment flows were highlighted.

Meeting materials available.

Second Dialogue on ILCF - Panama Field Dialogue

22-25 August 2009 - Panama City, Panama

The objective of the ILCF initiative was to develop a clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing indigenous, community and family landowners managing forest resources and the obstacles to improved investment flows. The intention was to explore the potential north-south connections, to improve knowledge sharing and to identify factors to improve the quality and quantity of investment streams in locally controlled forestry.  During the Panama dialogue, TFD visited local indigenous communities and a local medium-sized sawmill to start understanding this potential.

Meeting materials available.

First Dialogue on ILCF - Brussels Scoping Dialogue

9-10 June 2009 - Brussels, Belgium

The objective of this Scoping Dialogue was to develop a clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing indigenous, community and small-landowners managing forest resources and the need and obstacles for improved investment flows. The objective was to explore the potential north-south connections, improve knowledge sharing and identify factors behind successful forestry interventions and possible ways forward. Through the ILCF Initiative, TFD created a functioning platform to link country level multi-stakeholder processes and partnerships to the international dialogue on forests (UNFF, UNFCCC, UN-REDD, FCPF, FIP, etc.) as well as present a joint, consensus-based statement of all participants as part of Forest Day 3 at UNFCCC COP 15 Copenhagen. TFD collaborated with the Growing Forest Partnerships to facilitate this initiative.

Meeting materials available.