Independent forest monitoring in Honduras

This report summarises the results of a monitoring and evaluation project of Independent Forest Monitoring (IFM) in Honduras. The project’s aim was to analyse institutional basis for an IFM system in Honduras, which could be accomplished by developing working relationships with the State Forest Administration (AFE-COHDEFOR), other governmental institutions, civil society and the private sector.The report draws several conclusions:there is interest by the forest authorities in implementing more effective control missionscorruption among forest authority personnel is due to a lack of incentives coupled with the high value of logged timbercooperation between the Independent Forest Monitoring (IFM) and the State Forest Administration (AFE-COHDEFOR) has been ad hoc. In order to develop more effective coordination of efforts, the establishment of more formal mechanisms such as a Memorandum of Understanding must be developedoperators who are committed to working within the law usually have difficulty knowing what is required. This is due to the arbitrary manner in which some aspects of forest legislation is interpreted.The report makes several recommendations to the State Forest Administration (AFE-COHDEFOR), including the following:the administration must draw up a Memorandum of Understanding with the Monitor that clearly expresses the objectives and protocols of the projectHeads of Project Implementation Unites (UEPs), regional offices and the Department of Technical and Environmental Auditing of AFE-COHDEFOR (DATA) must be instructed to follow up field inspections carried out by the monitor in a more responsive and prompt mannerit is important to ensure that the Monitor, together with other relevant government agencies, can carry out its work without risk to its integrity, providing support personnel when necessary and not allowing any persons threatening the monitor to continue to do so with impunity.The report also makes some recommendations for government’s action:ensure that AFE-COHDEFOR (or any new forest institution if established) is provided with the financial, technical, logistical and human resources to guarantee that the institution can transparently and efficiently apply the lawprioritise the sustainable use of natural resources by local populations in forest policies.