An Example of Integrated Community Development and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources

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The 5th International Wildland Fire ConferenceSun City, South Africa

913 May 2011

An Example of Integrated Community Development andSustainable Management of Natural Resources: The

Experience of Community Areas of Gualaco and Guata

Juan Antonio BarriosNational Institute of Forest Conservation and Development, Protected Areas and Wildlife

(ICF), Tegucigalpa, Honduras, [email protected]

AbstractThe case of Community Forest Management is generated within the framework of cooperationbetween the governments of Honduras and Germany, through the Program to Promote SustainableManagement of Natural Resources and Local Economic Development (PRORENA), which is run jointly by the National Institute of Forest Conservation and Development, Protected Areas andWildlife (ICF) and the German Technical Cooperation (GIZ).

This forest management experience with direct involvement of communities is relevant given that

the Forestry Law, Protected Areas and Wildlife of Honduras (Decree 98-2007), gives a clearmandate to the ICF, to promote the optimal use of natural resources, reduce poverty, raise livingstandards of the population and address the effects of global climate change under the SocialSystem Community Forestry.

The promising performance of this alternative to facilitate the participation of communities toobtain direct benefits of forest management has allowed many of the items validated in thisexperience to be considered to be part of the new forest law in Honduras.

It is very important for the Honduran National Institute for Forest Conservation and Development,Protected Areas and Wildlife (ICF), to share this experience with other stakeholders with interestto undertake community forestry processes in other countries with similar conditions to those ofHonduras and therefore in This occasion, we present a briefly various components, technical and

legal grounds, main achievements, constraints and lessons learned along the way for the 30communities that have participated in this experience.

Keywords: Community Forest Management, ICF, GIZ, Social Forestry System

Initial Situation

In the specific case of national forest of Gualaco and Guata, 43% of the surface areabegan to be harvested in 1988 to feed a pulp and paper industry owned by the State that hadthe exclusive use and marketing the woodland.

The lack of a strategy to incorporate the population in a sustainable way to recovery,conservation and forest management and a still fragile institutions, accelerated thedeterioration of forests in this area, to the point that from 1999 to 2005 reported theharvesting of more than 200,000 m3 of timber. Such was the pressure exerted by the timbermerchants (legal and illegal) on the forested areas that they began to threaten the foodsecurity and water supplies of more than 50 communities that have settled in the forest.


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Forest fires raged every year almost 100% of forest cover to the extent that themunicipality of Gualaco became part of the list of the 13 municipalities most affected byforest fires nationwide in 2004. Without a mechanism to encourage community

participation without the benefit of payment, they neither collaborate with the reporting ofillegal exploitation.

As in many parts of the world, the problems in this area turns into a vicious cycle ofunsustainable forest use and the extreme poverty of the communities that live in it, so thechain begins with the forced displacement of peasants and their families to the hillsidewhere they practice agriculture with little chance of success which leads them to keepmoving into the deep mountain.

The Concept of Community Forestry

The Concept and Strategy of Community Forestry that supports this experience,derives of nearly 15 years of work developed by the German Technical Cooperation and theForestry Administration of the Republic of Honduras to demonstrate that rural communitiesare able to live in the forest without destroying it.

Hence, the Community Forestry is stated as "One way to promote the integraldevelopment of the communities that live in them, based on the economic, ecological and

social balance" The hypothesis is very simple, just until the communities are able totransform their own reality and derive economic benefit, ecological and social in tangibleform is that it is possible to obtain from them a commitment for the conservation andrecovery of the resources around them.

As Shown below, there are three key elements that the Community Forestryincludes:

Figure 1-The three key components of the community Forestry


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y The first element, Integral Human Development, seeks to change humanbehavior, so that with some encouragement, the community can discuss theirsituation, identify and build creative solutions to their problems.

y Through the Integrated Forest Management seeks to rethink the idea that

the forest is more than a producer of wood. For communities, the forest ishome, and is the mean to produce food, the source of water, the place forrecreation, the source of natural medicine, the source of pure air, theworkplace and source of products and by products necessary for the life ofmen and women.

y Finally, the Integrated Management of Agricultural Production Unit,recognizes and accepts the proposition that even though the vocation of thehillside land is for forests, the mentality of the farmer and his family is offarming tradition.

Organizational Model ImplementedIntercommunity Council Boards

As a way of ensuring sustainable and equitable participation of communities protagonist of this experience, an organizational system based on social structuresrecognized by the community was implemented (Boards and Boards of Trustees) andtogether formed the productive structures (Agroforestry Cooperatives).

Each community area consists of several communities with local organizationsregistered in the correspondent municipality. Each local organization, appointed twodelegates to form an Intercommunal Council developing the agenda for social development

projects in the community area.

Agroforestry Cooperatives

For the purpose of making operational forest management within the area, thecommunities have formed cooperatives that are registered with the Social Forestry Systemand Honduran Federation of Agroforestry Producers (FEPROAH) and the CoordinatingAssociation of Indigenous and Community Forestry (ACICAFOC), which operates at theCentral America, Panama and Belize level.

Horizontal Integration Model

In order to strengthen their capacity to influence the state and the municipality

concerned, the community areas have created the Honduran Net of Community ForestAreas of Gualaco and Guata (Net-HACOFOGG) which aims to promote the developmentof the National Forest Community areas of Gualaco and Guata. The Network is integrated

by the boards of the intercommunal council, Agroforestry Cooperatives and groups ofwomen who choose a representative board. They also Have an administrative and technicalteam that has grown steadily, as well as a web of instances of vertical integration andcooperation.


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l i l U m mm i

Community areas of national forest and Gualaco and Guata incorporate sites ofinterest to the community from the standpoint of production, subsistence and of coursewater and soil conservation.

Historically, these sites were occupied for extensive grazing of livestock. Withalmost total coverage of pine alone or mixed with hardwood species have demonstratedtheir forest vocation.

During the period 2005-2006, this area was heavily affected by the pine bark beetle(Dendroctonusfront lis), which caused extensive damage to approximately 3.000 hectaresof pine forests, which are in the process of recovery by means of natural regeneration,

planting for completion and forest fires protection.

ForestProtection ndRestoration omm nityAreasAs can be seen in the map below, in terms of protection there have been defined 3

categories for forest protection.

Fi

2The

a

hows the three

ategoriesof

orest Protection in the Communit

Areas

y Extensi e Forest Protection: For mature pine, mixed forests, broadleaf andsites for farming. (16,812.15 hectares).

y Intensi e Forest Protection: For young pine forests, harvested pine forestin the process of natural regeneration, pine plantations or both (8,036.24 ha).

y Protection of watersheds and water courses: For micro-watershed areaswith orin the process of declaration and permanent water courses (14,694.06ha).


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Fi

3Prescribed burns became themost effective tool forforest fire ! revention

within the area, intensive surveillance and patrol duties are carried out permanently,specially during the peak hours, also, other protection activities such as the construction offirebreak lines at strategic locations, prescribed burning to reduce fuel and site preparationto ensure the natural regeneration in areas that were affected by pests.

Prescri bed burns are being conducted in close cooperation with the ICF(supervision) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC, co-financing and training), making thecommunity areas into pilot areas that enabled the ICF for the development of technicalstandards forthe use of fire nationwide.

This impactin reducing the area affected by fire has favored natural regeneration inmost areas affected by plague in the past. Moreover, the use of fire as a managementtoolhas led to the recovery of forest cover about 1,700 hectares of forest.

During 2007-2010 more than 1,700 hectares, have been treated to promote naturalregeneration (firebreak lines building, site preparation, prescri bed burning and intensiveforest fires protection).

During the same period, there have been 255.000 p ine seedlings produced with highgenetic quality which have been planted over 500 hectares of deforested Sites and unable toregenerate naturally.

ForestHarvesting in omm nityAreas

The 2005-2006, was a period when there were heavy attacks of pests. With outbreakcontrol activities in the communal areas, it was possible to make the rescue of 37.800 m3 ofwood affected by bark beetles. The forest harvesting normalized by 2007 under approvedmanagement plans, increasing steadily from the extraction of 4,900 m3 in 2007 to 23,240m

3in 2010.


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Adjusting the value of the timber for the Investment in ForestManagement

Starting at a base price of wood established at the national level of US$ 51.50/m3,to set the value of a determined amount of timber to be harvested, it is considered thevolume per hectare, the average slope, the need for construction and repair of roads,construction of sewers, international price changes, encourage Market risk and compliancewith the planting of three plants for each tree felled. In Gualaco and Guata, after theadjustment, the price of wood payable to the state is about US$ 35.95/m3.

The parameters described below should be developed for each Community Areaunder management as deemed necessary to ensure proper forest management, employmentand income generation in the communities permanently, and the equitable sharing of

benefits it follows. The cost of each activity is deducted from the amount the communitiesshould pay to the state:

y Establishment of Forest Nurseries: The price to be considered in this parameterwill be the final price of seedlings ready to be taken to the final planting site; thecurrent cost is $ 0.50 per plant.

y Establishment of Forest Plantations : Determines the activities and thecorresponding cost necessary to properly establish a seedling in the final location,the current cost is US$ 0.25 per plant established at the site of growth.

y Construction of Firebreak lines: Includes the construction cost per kilometer offirebreak lines with a dimension of 5 meters wide; the current cost is US$ 129 perkm built.

y Prescribed Burning: The Burns to be performed are mainly prescribed for theprotection of young forests, natural regeneration, plantations established and othersthat may be of particular relevance which have to be addressed in the management

plan; the current cost is U.S. $ 84.50 for each hectare treated.y Monitoring in the Framework of the Forest Protection : Because this activity is

for the monitoring of the entire management area, it is proposed as a current cost perhectare protected; the actual cost is US$ 0.80 which needs to be multiplied in asimple way by the number of hectares under management.

y Forest Fire Fighting: Because this activity is for fire protection throughout themanagement area, it is proposed as an incentive of $ 1.06 per hectare NOTAFFECTED by wildfires which is evaluated at the end of the forest protectioncampaign (January to June).

y Protection Campaign Coordination and Technical Assistance. This adjustmentrelates to the planning process and oversight for the implementation of forest

protection activities as indicated in the plan of protection and forest management,

Annual Operative Plan ( POA) equivalent to US$ 0.70/Hay Management of natural regeneration and plantations: This parameter includes

the work and associated costs per hectare treated with pruning, cleaning and / orthinning prescribed in the relevant management plan, the current cost is $ 147 perhectare treated.

y Technical Assistance for the Preparation, Administration and Monitoring ofForest Management Plans: Technical assistance is for the management of a forest


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area based on a current cost of $ 4.00 per cubic meter of wood for theimplementation of operational plans.

y Road Network and Infrastructure Management for Total Area: This cost isrelated to the investment required for upgrading the road network and infrastructure(main roads, secondary, bridges, fords, sewers, control booths, surveillance towers,

etc.).y Social Community-Infrastructure: To directly promote the development of the

communities participating in the management of national forest areas, thetransference to the communities, include the benefit of up to 25% of the initial priceof the timber without the adjustment for the forest management practices. Theseeconomical resources are used to co-finance the implementation of communityimprovement projects under the Community Management Plan.

Compliance with Investment in Forest Management and SocialDevelopment

To ensure the proper use and management of the funds that the State provides to thecommunity organization by way of discount in the price of forest products, they must meetthe following requirements:

y The activities should be incorporated into the Annual Operative Plan (POA)approved by the ICF.

y The community organization shall establish a special bank account for the fundforest management that will operate with at least two signatures of the communityorganization.

y The community organization shall issue monthly reports of financial transactionsand the physical progress of management activities and a final report properlyapproved by the Regional Forest Office of ICF.

y

The Community Forestry Advisory Council shall be an integral part of monitoringand assessments, as well other control entities of the State authorities.

Transparency Mechanisms

The sustainability of community participation is based on the possibility that at leastmost of it has the ability to access employment and decent income and a fair payment forthe products produced. To ensure that this impact occurs, the community organization has aresponsibility to make the "Public Sale" of products and by-products obtained frommanagement areas assigned by theForest Management Agreement.

By their own decision, Community organizations adjusted to the following requirements:y The community organization, based on appropriate management plan and qualified

technical advice, classified all types of products available for sale.y The community organization, according to a market survey properly documented

(quote/offer) set the selling price of each product.y The community organization invited potential buyers interested in the products

offered, who participated by submitting a written offer.


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y For the purposes of public sale, a commission was composed of the Board and theSupervisory Board of the Community Organization and its team of technicaladvisers.

y In a collegiate manner, the best offer was chosen and the buy and sale contractswere signed.

Legal Zoning of Land in the Community Areas

A large number of communities are threatened with the increasingly frequentemergence of land property titles of irregular origin, therefore, the regulation of theoccupation, use and enjoyment of all public lands suitable for forestry is declared of publicinterest, and gives the ICF an exclusive mandate to investigate, determine, demarcate andtitle automatically to restore to the State where appropriate, those sites whose ownershipwas granted on an irregular basis to third parties. The procedure was established as follows:

Figure " - Schem#

tic showing the leg#

l process of land management and reco$

ery in communalareas

1. Identification of areas and Research Legal Nature of the Land. With thisresearch process, not only analyze the existence of documents proving


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ownership rights over the areas under study. In some cases, this research ledanalysis of national and even international archives (General Archive of Indies,Sevilla, Spain).

2. Certification ofResearchResults to correspondent instances. The formationof an interagency team with participation of National Register, the National

Agrarian Institute (INA), the Institute of Property (IPP), the Attorney General'sOffice (PGR) and the ICF, who carried out the analysis of all cases.

3. Special Technical Processing and Title Issue. To prevent the continueddecimation of state property and assets of the Honduran people, The ICF

proceeded to the regularization of forest national areas and for that purpose, theICF has established and maintains the Catalogue of Inalienable Public HeritageForestry Assets, as a public record of technical-administrative nature wherewere registered all communal areas of Gualaco and Guata.

4. Registration in the Catalogue of Inalienable Public Heritage Forest. Allcommunal areas have been registered as areas of public forest natural vocationin the catalog according to the forestry law. According to the Law, theCatalogue of Inalienable Public Assets Forestry is public.

Results

y In the year 2010, agroforestry organizations reported an average gross income ofUS$ 91.658 / organization; these margins have increased due to the mechanism of

public sale of the goods and bargaining collectively within the community areasNetwork.

y It is important to note that a high percentage of costs are incurred for the payment oflocal labor, which is reflected in the generation of more than 15,000 jobs per dayopportunities in forest protection, seedlings production, reforestation, forestharvesting, management of natural regeneration, etc. 33% Of the total beneficiariesof these jobs are adult men, 20% adult women and 47% are young.

y As part of this process, the wage income stabilized for up to US$ 5.26 (US$ 1.84-2.63 originally before the start of the process). This remuneration applies equally formen and women performing the same function. From the beginning of this year thewage income has raised to US$ 6.99/day in compliance with the new legalminimum wage.

y The most relevant results to date are the stabilization of the area affected by forestfires in less than 1.5% of the total area under management, reduction to 0% of thearea affected by illegal cuts and trade in forest products, forest protection plansimplemented intensive, more than 500 hectares reforested, 1.700 hectares treated toensure the establishment of new forest through natural regeneration, more than

250,000 pine seedlings produced (5 community nurseries.)y Under the legal process of land management and governance of natural resources in

the community areas, the ICF issued to the state 5 special property titles for about39.542 hectares of forest, transferred by management contracts to 39 communities,

just as they have 5 Community Plans and Land Management, as well as an agendaof projects of the Honduran Gualaco and Guata Community Areas net (Net-HACOFOGG), which are already in the process of successfully implementing theforest management. In recognition of the process performed, the FAO has


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nominated this experience as an exemplary case of Sustainable Forest Managementin Latin America and the Caribbean.

y The experience developed in Gualaco and Guata has proven that the communitieswill participate on a voluntary and effective manner in the protection of the forest tothe extent they receive direct benefits from its management which has leaded the

Honduran Forest service to extend it to other areas of national forests.

Future Challenges

y Even Though illegal logging ha been considered to be widespread and prevalent, theexperience of Gualaco and Guata has proved that the community participation canchange and control it. Taking in account the results obtained, The ICF is now tryingto replicate the experience in other national forest lands located in the departmentsof Yoro, El Paraso and Francisco Morazn

y Since many protected areas are threatened by land conversion for agriculture andgrazing of livestock, the implementation of Community Forestry has to be enforced

according to the Forest Law.y Public forest lands, in lots of forest areas nationwide have no clear ownership status,

for that reason, ICF has to face a great challenge to enforce the process to recoverthis lands to be able to assign them to the communities for a sustainable forestmanagement

y Many of well trained foresters left the forest service when the former HonduranForest Administration disappeared which has obligated the ICF to hire new staff thatneeds to be trained.

y In compliance with the Forest Law, The Honduran Government trough the ICFneeds to develop and implement a Strategy and National Plan of Forest Protectionand Integrated Fire Management which must include the capacity building at localand national level to address the problematic of Forest Fires in Honduras

References

Z. CRUZ, et. al. Manual de Forestera Comunitaria / Gua Metodologa y Caja de Herramientas. CooperacinTcnica Alemana (GTZ), Ro Plus, Canad, IDCR-CRDI, INS. 2007.

PRORENA/ AFE-COHDEFOR. Plan de Ordenacin del Bosque Nacional Gualaco 2004-2014.

PRORENA/ANAFAE: Estudio de Caso: El Manejo Comunitario del Bosque Nacional Gualaco y Guata,Olancho, desde la perspectiva de Manejo Alternativo de Conflictos Ambientales. 2008.

PRORENA: Anlisis de Gobernanza de los Recursos Naturales: El Caso de las reas Comunitarias deGualaco y Guata, Elaborado en el marco del Taller Regional de Gobernanza en los Recursos Naturales,

Costa Rica, 2008

PRORENA. Fichas de Monitoreo de Impactos. 2006-2009.

PRORENA/ICF/ reas Comunitarias. Base de Informacin Geogrfica. 2006-2009

An Example of Integrated Community Development and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources

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