Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation for Community Forestry

After the civil war, Cambodia has experienced high deforestation rates caused by illegal logging and unsustainable practices. Community forestry, a model of forest management that puts local communities at the centre of decision making, can accelerate reforestation. However, local people often lack adequate incentives and direct benefits from such engagement, and institutional bias against allocating high-value forests to communities persist. Community management of forests is a journey, which requires policy and legislative reforms. The Center for People and Forests (RECOFTC) has been working with Khoun Mon, the community leader and other Community Forestry Management Committees (CFMCs) on a participatory monitoring and evaluation system that allows local communities to capture their progress and report back to key stakeholders, ensuring transparency. The tool enables communities to demonstrate their ability to manage forests and communicate this effectively to Government and other stakeholders.