Contribution of Customary Land Tenure to Sustainable Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR)

The session explored the critical role of customary land tenure in advancing sustainable Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR), emphasizing its importance for community-driven conservation efforts. The discussion began with a keynote presentation by Anne Larson, who presented CIFOR's research on how secure land tenure can mobilize effective communal interventions in FLR, drawing on case studies from Madagascar and Cameroon. This presentation highlighted the link between land tenure security and improved livelihoods through sustainable forest management. Dr. Klaus Ackermann provided a broader overview of the Global Programme on Responsible Land Policy (GPRLP) and Forests for Future (F4F), showcasing examples from multiple countries that illustrated the interplay between responsible land governance and FLR outcomes. A series of country-specific statements followed, focusing on Ethiopia and Madagascar. Ethiopia's discussion emphasized that tenure security is a fundamental requirement for successful FLR, highlighting the need for tangible economic incentives within productive landscapes. Madagascar's contribution underlined the necessity of supportive legal and institutional frameworks and the effectiveness of decision support tools that integrate land tenure into restoration strategies. The session concluded with a summary of key policy recommendations, advocating for a landscape approach that centers on customary land rights to ensure sustainable restoration outcomes. The dialogue underscored that FLR success depends on acknowledging and formalizing customary land tenure, creating enabling environments, and linking restoration efforts to clear economic and ecological benefits for local communities.


This resource has been made available by the organizers of the World Bank Land Conference under the following disclaimer.