Overview of Forest Conflict and USAID

1
Overview of Forest Conflict and USAIDs Work on
the Issue

• Erik Streed
• USAID Forests Team
• Views expressed are those of the presenter and do
  not reflect USAID Policy

2
Significance of Forest Conflict

• Drives Violence at Various Scales
• Cause/Effect of Weak Governance Fragility
• Causes Human Rights Abuses
• Increases Poverty
• Accelerates Environmental Degradation

3
Topics Covered

• Types and Dimensions of Forest Conflict
• Causes
• Effects
• USAIDs Work on This Issue
• What Can be Done?

4
Categories of Forest Conflict

• Revenue Source to Fund Armed Conflict Burma
  Cambodia
• Object of Competition Indonesia Nepal

5
What is Forest Conflict?

• Working Definition Situations where the
  allocation, management, or use of forests results
  in
• Violence
• Human Rights Abuses
• Denial of Access to Forest Resources that
  Significantly Diminishes Human Welfare.

6
How Big is the Problem?

• 12 of 27 Countries in USAIDs Asia Region
  Experience forest conflict.
• In Indonesia, up to 22.5 million people, or 10
  of the population affected by forest conflict.
• In Cambodia, up to 1.7 million people, or 15 of
  the population affected.
• Approximately 30 of all wood products imported
  to the US are from Asia Chinese furniture
  predominates made with wood from Southeast Asia
  and elsewhere.

7
Macro Causes of Conflict

• Armed Conflict Revenue and Refuge
• Post-Conflict and Fragile States
• Weak Governance
• Unaccountable Security Forces
• Poorly Conceived Economic Development

8
Direct Causes

• Timber Concessions
• Plantations
• Roads
• Illegal Logging (Cause/Effect)
• Management/Enforcement Weak
• Migrants
• Elite Capture
• Biodiversity Conservation

9
Human Effects

• Death and Intimidation
• Displacement
• Livelihood Loss/Impoverishment Transfer of
  Wealth from Poor to Rich
• Social/Political Marginalization
• Loss of Human Rights

10
Governance, Economic, Environmental Effects

• Weakens Governance Legitimacy
• Fuels Corruption
• Drives Violence
• Wastes Resources/Reduces Revenue
• Makes the Poorest Poorer
• Biodiversity Lost
• Environmental Services Diminished

11
USAID Conflict Timber Project

• Asia and Africa 2001-2003
• OTI/ANE with ARD
• Macro Focus in 15 Countries
• Connection to Poor Governance
• Involvement of Security Forces
• Loose Financial Regulations
• Weak Land and Resource Tenure

12
Managing Conflict in Asian Forest Communities

• 2003-2006 ANE with ARD
• Community Level Focus
• Assessments Cambodia Sri Lanka Nepal
• Workshops Philippines Cambodia
• Community Empowerment in Cambodia
• Communications and Outreach
• Influenced USAID Programming in Target Countries

13
Actions Governance

• Legal Framework Strengthened
• Fight Corruption
• Uphold Human Rights
• Control Military
• Rationalize Decentralization Process
• Participatory Resource Allocation
• Protect Forest Use Rights and Land Tenure

14
Action Empower Communities

• Educate About Legal Rights
• Facilitate Dialogue with Government and Private
  Sector
• Teach Conflict Management Tools

15
Action Use the Market

• Urge Consumers and the Forest Products Industry
  to Demand Conflict-Free Products
• Develop/Adopt Systems to Insure Legality of
  Supplies
• Encourage Full Economic Valuation of Resources
  Including Environmental Services