Yet, many communities, indigenous people lack the rights to protect their own land Forests provide vital habitat for many species of animals and plants. In particular, tropical forests support the…
Study shows environmental income critical for rural livelihoods, challenges assumptions about how poor use forest resources An employee of MESCOT, a community-run reforestation, conservation, and alternative livelihoods initiative in Malaysian…
Political scientist Arun Agrawal's research sheds light on the connection between forest health and people's livelihoods "To all brothers and sisters who hold the dream in their hearts of a…
Innovation in Tropical Forest Conservation: Q & A with Dr. Neil David Burgess Rural scene in Tanzania. Photo by: Nika Levikov. After years of discovering new species and setting up…
Note: On May 5, 2014, an official request for correction was submitted to The Jakarta Post to clarify that the Ministry of Forestry was referring to "Hutan Tanaman Rakyat" (HTR)…
The humid tropical forests of northwestern South America boast over 140 different palm species (Arecaceae), yet the people who dwell underneath these green canopies and the knowledge they posses remain…
A study on deforestation in Cambodia has found that forests are better protected when local communities are given the responsibility to manage them locally. Cambodia has one of the highest…
An ecotourism project in a remote part of Laos has won the World Responsible Tourism Award for Best for Responsible Wildlife Experience. The Nam Nern Night Safari, an ecotour in…
Nearly two-thirds of villagers surveyed across rainforests in Indonesian and Malaysian Borneo are against large-scale deforestation due to the adverse impacts on livelihoods and the environment, finds a comprehensive new…
The balance between biodiversity conservation, land acquisition, natural resource utilization and indigenous peoples is often wrought with conflict. Legislation governing the use of natural resources should ideally protect biodiversity and…
Court ruling invalidates Indonesian govt's claim to customary forest areas In a landmark ruling, Indonesia's Constitutional Court has invalidated the Indonesian government's claim to millions of hectares of forest land,…
"Rural dwellers are not passive respondents to external conservation agents but are active proponents and executers of their own conservation initiatives."—Noga Shanee, Projects Director for Neotropical Primate Conservation (NPC), in…
A new video explores local indigenous views of the forests of Kalimantan or Indonesian Borneo. Having depended on the rainforest ecosystems for centuries, indigenous groups now find themselves under pressure…
Zebra in Zimbabwe. Photo by: Tiffany Roufs. How far can scientists trust local knowledge when it comes to ecosystems? This is a question that is undergoing heavy debate in scientific…
