ABSTRACT
After outlining the importance of local organizations in relation to government policy and grass-roots democracy in China, this chapter presents case studies of three projects, assessing their objectives, activities and impact. We analyse the main barriers to the promotion of community participation in natural resource management and offer recommendations for developing policies to deal with these constraints. We consider the external and internal factors affecting local governance for the promotion of community participation in NRM and examine recent initiatives aimed at providing a positive framework for community participation in the management and protection of natural resources. Our recommendations include ways of empowering local communities to promote community participation.
