Workshop Generates Valuable Feedback on Land Allocation Research Project

The morning began with presentations from the primary researchers. They presented detailed observations of FLA’s impacts on local communities, forestry resources, and conservation status. Some preliminary results were also presented from projects on agro-forestry models and proposed changes in community access to allocated forestland.

Presentations were followed by feedback from conference participants. Although a range of opinions were presented, a majority of critical feedback focused on the limited scope of the project. Representatives of various organizations pointed out that for both the purposes of accurately assessing the effects of FLA and increasing inter-ministerial cooperation, further research is needed on a greater scale.

In response to these comments, researchers held a follow-up afternoon session at which they agreed to increase the number of research sites from two to four. They also decided to make a series of field trips to regional offices of TBI stakeholders in order facilitate cooperation and better inform them of research proceedings. Conference attendees also agreed to share information and consult with colleagues across bureaucratic and provincial lines, and a variety of mechanisms are currently being evaluated to meet this objective.