ABSTRACT
Significant tenure reforms in public forestlands have taken place over the past 20 years worldwide, but particularly in Latin America. These reforms, initiated more aggressively since the mid-1980s, appear widespread enough to constitute an important global trend. They also present an opportunity to advance the recognition of human rights and two critical values: providing benefits for poor forest dwellers and conserving forests for environmental reasons. Such tenure reforms may be essential to successful forestland governance.
