This document discusses the importance of empowering local forest communities and recognizing them as key stakeholders in sustainable forestry. It argues that local communities should be allowed to use their traditional knowledge to both protect and benefit from forests, as they are highly dependent on forests and know them best. However, local communities currently face many limitations and need more incentives to sustainably manage forests. The recommendation is to strengthen local rights and invest in local institutions and capacities to allow community-centered forestry to achieve sustainability goals.

1. Stream 3
Serving Society: Forestry
and People

2. We must allow
people-centered forestry
to deliver the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs)

3. Recognize and empower key
forestry stakeholders

4. Forest people

5. You have heard many voices – from
NGOs, academia and government

6. The most important voices are
directly from the forests

7. Please allow my community,
my family, and I
to use our knowledge
...to protect the forest
...to benefit from the forest

8. I am helping my community
to adapt to climate change,
and ensuring my community
manages our forest in a
sustainable way

9. But... there are many things
that limit our chances to
benefit from the forest...
...and we need more
incentives
to take care of the forest

10. The forests are so important for us all,
It is our home
It is our life

11. Listen to us, we know the forests the best,
we depend on the forest the most...
For our society, for my family and for me,
listen to the voices of local communities

12. Recommendation:
Strengthen
local rights and, enable and
invest in local institutions and
capacities