Community forests

Community Forests are an important tool for natural resources management, biodiversity conservation and sustainable community-driven development. In Karen communities, a community forest is managed by a committee composed of local community members that manage the forest for the benefit of the entire community. Community forests incorporate environmental, social and economic sustainability and focus on local control over local forest resources. Since 2001, KESAN has been worked with Karen Forestry Department (KFD), KESAN’s Community Project Partners (CPPs), Strategies Project partners (SPPs) and local community to establish community forest in the Karen State. Currently, there are 28 community forests established in the Karen State. These community forests are initiated and managed by the communities themselves. Each community forest has rules and regulations that are formulated and agreed upon by the community in consultation with local leaders.
The KFD has recognized and registered these community forests (at the Township level) and are collaborating with the communities in the implementation and enforcement of the forest policy. 
Through the process of establishing these community forests, the KFD, KESAN’s CPPs and SPPs and local communities themselves are increasingly more aware of the importance and benefits of local forest and resource management. Significant benefits from the establishment of community forests has been greater mobilization and empowerment of local communities to become stewards of their forests, reduced illegal logging and wildlife hunting activities, increased biodiversity and forest health and less conflict over and greater access to non-timber forest products such as honey, wild fruits and vegetables, mushrooms and river fish stocks.