ABSTRACT
In this chapter I review the linkages between forests and society, review a set of necessary conditions for the sustainable use and the conservation of forests, and then present a series of forest management practices that appear to be supportive of forest conservation. Of particular interest are the conditions for the applications of sustainable practices in different sectors in using, managing, and protecting forested landscapes. Three main messages emerge from the discussion: (1) a paradigm shift with regards to forests is underway at a conceptual level and global scale, but there is much work to be done to shift the thinking and practices at the national and local levels; (2) policies and institutions that are supportive of forest conservation, and particularly that are supportive of local stewardship of forests, are still quite weak; and (3) the economic case for forest conservation is not yet convincing. I examine the priorities and perspectives of distinct stakeholders and actors and the importance of forests for different sectors of society. While I consider multiple stakeholders, the details of this chapter are on the concerns of forest-independent 197communities with respect to the forest landscape and with respect to other actors, large and small. I describe some common forest conservation measures and forest management systems, their position in the paradigm shift, and their potential to contribute to productive forestry. I touch briefly on the enabling conditions, institutional structures and behaviors, and policy support that can facilitate forest conservation at the local scale. I conclude the chapter with a few points on ways forward.
