ABSTRACT
An important recent paradigm shift in forest development in Asia and the Pacific (as in many parts of the world) has been the move from centralized to decentralized forest management. If, however, governance is defined as ‘the procedures and rules by which decisions are made and consensus is reached, as well as mechanisms to hold decision makers accountable for their actions’ (Menzies, 2004, p450), the extent to which powers of decision-making and enforcement are really being devolved to forest communities remains questionable.
