Collaborative Forest Management (CFM) is a mutually beneficial arrangement in which a local community or forest user group and a legally recognized entity share roles, responsibilities, and benefits in co-managing forestland.
CFM is rooted and supported by the policy and legal framework, which includes the Uganda Forestry Policy, 2001, National Forestry and Tree Planting Act, 2003 (NFTPA), the National Forestry and Tree Planting Regulations, 2016 and has been implemented through the CFM Guidelines, 2003 which have been revised.
A comprehensive review of CFM in Uganda, (2020), recommended the need to revise the national guidelines for implementation of CFM to address the weaknesses, gaps and challenges that were identified.
These among others included changes in policy and legal framework at global, national and local levels; a shift in the array of benefits expected by the communities from CFM arrangements; high demand for forest resources and services owing to the increase in population and high rates of deforestation on private land.
Other weaknesses and challenges include: limited participation of local governments, youth and women; and other marginalized groups; a weak CFM institutional landscape; unnecessary long duration for developing CFM agreements; absence of clear benefit sharing arrangements; poor coordination among CFM actors; inadequate cohesion of CFM with other government programmes and lack of a monitoring and evaluation framework for CFM.
To this end, the Ministry of Water and Environment has successfully completed the process of revising the CFM guidelines. The revised version provides a user friendly, short and precise step-by-step process of introducing, developing and implementing CFM not only in central and local forest reserves but also in forests on private land.
The revised guidelines emphasise the adoption of the landscape approach when collaborating with local communities. It also underscores multistakeholder involvement focusing on diverse interventions in order to address social, economic, and environmental issues most of which are drivers of forest degradation and deforestation.
In the revised guidelines, the local governments are involved in all stages of the CFM process. They also promote gender inclusiveness and regular monitoring and evaluation of CFM activities.
It is my sincere belief that the use of these guidelines will contribute to sustainable forest management and conservation while at the same time improving the livelihoods of the Ugandans especially the forest adjacent communities.
This is the revised version of national guidelines for implementing CFM in Uganda. Since the launch of the CFM guidelines, 2003, a lot has happened including numerous changes in the institutional, policy and legal frameworks. During this period, the Climate Change Policy (2012), Climate Change Act (2021), Vision 2040 and the third National Development Plan (NDPIII), and standards such as the national forest stewardship standards, Clean Development Mechanisms, the Voluntary Carbon Standards were put in place.
In addition, there have been emerging issues related to development, environment and natural resources management at local, national and global levels. There was therefore need to revise and align the CFM guidelines to respond to these developments.
Furthermore, we have learnt numerous lessons over the two decades of CFM implementation in Uganda. Some of the lessons include the need to put in place functional institutional arrangements at various levels, ensuring effective stakeholder participation and inclusivity, equitable benefit sharing to improve CFM implementation in order to promote sustainable management of forest resources.
The review and development of the guidelines followed a countrywide stakeholder consultation, review of relevant literature and benchmarking related natural resource co-management arrangements in other countries in Africa and beyond.
The review was led by a team of consultants that were coordinated by a national level taskforce comprising of officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment, National Forestry Authority, Local Governments and civil society.
The revised CFM guidelines comprise of a set of guiding principles, processes and tools to assist stakeholders in the forestry sector in Uganda to promote participatory approaches for the sustainable management and conservation of forest resources on government and private lands.
These guidelines are intended to continue to be periodically revised and updated to accommodate new developments and improvements generated through their implementation. This may especially be expected after an initial period of their implementation when stakeholders have had an opportunity to implement them.
It is therefore my considered opinion that the operationalization of these guidelines will contribute to improved livelihoods of the people and the economy of Uganda. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone, who has contributed towards the preparation and production of these guidelines.
The process of revising the CFM guidelines was spearheaded by the Ministry of Water and Environment in collaboration with the National Forestry Authority (NFA) with support from the USAID Programme of the United States Forest Services (USFS).
Many thanks go to members of the national task force that included Bob Kazungu (Chairperson), Christine Mugenyi (secretariat), Valence Arineitwe, Pauline N. Kalunda, Owinyi Robert, William Mujuni, Martin Mwodi Kagere and Harold Turinawe who provided invaluable technical support and guidance.Andrew Williams of United States Forest Services (USFS) and Ms. Fiona Driciru (CFM specialist and Independent Resource Person) are highly appreciated for their technical input and guidance.
This document would not have been finalized without the input from NFA field staff, members of CFM groups, Traditional/cultural Leaders (Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom, Buganda Kingdom and Iteso Cultural Union) and Academic institutions (Makerere University and Nyabyeya Forestry College). Officials and other representatives from Wetlands department (headquarters), Uganda Wildlife Authority (headquarters), FSSD (headquarters), District Local Governments, Civil Society (WWF, JGI, IUCN, WCS, ACODE, Nature Uganda, Tree Talk), Private sector (UTGA), Private Forest Owners (Bitamazire, Abakwonga Clan, Munteme Technical) were also consulted. The consultations were conducted in Mukono, Buikwe, Kyotera, Yumbe, Rubirizi, Kisoro, Tororo, Lamwo, Arua, Masaka, Rubanda, Masindi, Hoima, Kyenjojo and Mpigi districts.
Special appreciation also goes to the consultants namely Deziderius Irumba, Robert A. Esimu, Adrine Kirabo, Steve Nsita, Edith Kabesiime, Okech Moses and Segawa Stephen who were instrumental in ensuring that the review process succeeded.
For the purpose of these guidelines, the following definitions shall apply to the terms used:
Collaborative Forest Management: A mutually beneficial arrangement in which a local community or forest user group and a legally recognized entity share roles, responsibilities, and benefits in co-managing a forest.
Collaborative Forest Management Agreement: An agreement between a legally recognized forest owner (hereinafter called “forest owner”) and a registered community group for managing a forest or a part of it.
CFM multi-stakeholder coordination fora: refer to platforms comprising of various state or nonstate stakeholders involved in CFM implementation at different levels convened by the forest management institutions.
CFM networks: refer to established working arrangements between CFM groups at different levels convened by the civil society or CFM groups.
Facilitator: Is a neutral individual or organisation who provides guidance to the parties and other stakeholders to undertake the CFM process. They are a helper and enabler whose goal is to support others to achieve successful CFM outcomes.
Forestland: Land covered with a forest, or dominated by trees or legally reserved for the growth of forests or trees.
Forest reserve: Under the National Forestry and Tree Planting Act, 2003, a forest reserve (FR) is forestland that is held by government in trust, for the citizens of Uganda and declared by the Minister responsible for forestry as a Central Forest Reserve (Section 6) or Local Forest Reserve (Section 9).
Forest: Land covering a minimum area of 1 hectare with a minimum crown cover of 30%, and comprising trees able to attain a height of at least 4 metres (Source: The National REDD+ Strategy)
Forest owner: A person, or an institution or a company that legally owns a planted or natural forest on privately owned or government land. Note that a forest owner does not necessarily own the land on which the forest is growing since the land may belong to a third party, such as the government in Central or Local Forest Reserves.
Forest management plan: A collection of documents, reports, records, and maps that describe, justify, and regulate the forest management activities carried out by any institution or group.
Forest landscape approach: A framework that works with tools and concepts for managing forestland to achieve social, economic, and environmental objectives in areas where agriculture, mining, and other productive land uses may compete with environmental and biodiversity goals.
Forest stakeholder: Any person, group of persons, or institution who for conservation, cultural, religious, economic, social or investment reasons is involved in, or associated with, management, research and exploitation of the products or services from a forest area.
Forest management institution: This refers to government institutions mandated to manage, maintain and control a forest reserve.
Institution: refers to a cultural/traditional, religious, academic, and research organization.
Landscape: refers to an area of land consisting of various ecosystems and the associated ecological and socio-economic activities therein.
Legally recognized entity: Means a body mandated to manage, maintain and control a forest reserve or a community forest and in case of a private forest, the owner or person in charge of a forest.
Prospective partner: This refers to an individual, company, community group or community-based organization intending to enter into collaboration with a forest owner for management of a forest or part of it.
Protected Area: includes central and local forest reserves, national parks, and wildlife reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and community wildlife areas.
ACODE - Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment
AfDB - African Development Bank
CAO - Chief Administrative Officer
CBO - Community Based Organization
CBD - Convention on Biological Diversity
CDO - Community Development Officer
CFR - Central Forest Reserve
CFM - Collaborative Forest Management
CSO - Civil Society Organization
DANIDA - Danish International Development Agency
DAO - District Agriculture Officer
DCDO - District Community Development Officer
DEO - District Environment Officer
DFO - District Forestry Officer
DLG - District Local Government
DNRO - District National Resources Officer
DP - Development Partner
ECO-TRUST - Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda
EU - European Union
FMPA - Forest Management Plan Area
FMP - Forest Management Plan
FSSD - Forest Sector Support Department
GDP - Gross Domestic Product
GIS - Geographical Information System
GIZ - German Agency for International Cooperation
HEP - Hydro-electricity Power
IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature
JGI - Jane Goodall Institute
LC - Local Council
LFR - Local Forest Reserve
LG - Local Government
NEMA - National Environment Management Authority
NGO - Non-Governmental Organisation
NDP - National Development Plan
NFA - National Forestry Authority
NFTPA - National Forestry and Tree Planting Act
NORAD - Norwegian Agency for Development
MAAIF - Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries
M&E - Monitoring and Evaluation
MEMD - Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development
MFPED - Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development
MLG - Ministry of Local Government
MoES - Ministry of Education and Sports
MoGLSD - Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development
MoH - Ministry of Health
MoWT - Ministry of Works and Transport
MTWA - Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities
MoU - Memorandum of Understanding
MWE - Ministry of Water and Environment
PSA - Participatory Situation Analysis
RDC - Resident District Commissioner
REDD - Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation
SAS - Senior Assistant Secretary
SCLG - Sub-County Local Government
USAID - United States Agency for International Development
USFS - United States Forest Service
UWA - Uganda Wildlife Authority
WWF - Worldwide Fund for Nature
These guidelines will be applied in the following forms of collaborative management arrangements:
• Where registered local community groups and government forest management institutions are the main parties collaborating in the management of Forest Reserves (FR);
• Local community groups and individual households collaborating with forest owners to manage forests owned privately;
• Other partners and forest owners collaborating to manage forests owned privately.
All forms of collaboration on government land will require legally recognized entities in the form of certificates of registration and cemented by negotiated agreements or MoUs as described in sections 3.1 and 3.2 of these guidelines.
It is also best practice to involve LGs at all levels in all stages of the CFM process, ensure gender inclusiveness, and conduct regular monitoring and evaluation of CFM activities. However, collaboration in forests owned privately is optional and largely depends on the interests of the forest owners (section 3.2 of these guidelines).
Relatedly, the guidelines provide for collaborative arrangements that can culminate in a CFM agreement for government-controlled forests and a memorandum of understanding for forests owned privately on government and private land. It is important to note that the CFM guidelines differ from the community-based forest management (CBFM) guidelines, which are only applicable to forests owned communally.
The guidelines are based on experiences from CFM implementation from the last 20 years in government protected areas and wetlands in Uganda. Lessons from other countries that are practicing co-management arrangements also informed the production of these guidelines.
It is important to note that the guidelines are not rigid orders but should be adapted as necessary based on the local context.
Aim
The aim of the guidelines is to guide stakeholders involved in forest management to voluntarily implement effective collaborative processes intended to improve forest management and local community livelihoods. These guidelines also provide opportunities for stakeholders to participate and to contribute to forest management and conservation.
Scope
The guidelines are applicable in central forest reserves, local forest reserves, forests on private land, forests owned privately on government land (under licensing arrangements), dual management areas (managed as CFRs and Wildlife Protected Areas), and other lands held by various institutions. Using the guidelines, different collaborative arrangements can be developed depending on the type, status and management objectives of the forest and the anticipated benefits.
When collaborating with local communities, CFM should adopt the landscape approach with diverse interventions that involve many relevant sectors and active involvement of the local governments. These interventions should focus on addressing social, economic, and environmental issues most of which are drivers of forest degradation and deforestation. The sectors and stakeholders will be identified through a thorough situational analysis.
Who are the Guidelines for?
These guidelines are intended to provide directions to the government forest management agencies, forest owners, community-based organizations (CBOs), CSO/NGOs and other parties interested in the development of collaborative management arrangements in forests on government, private lands, or other forestlands owned by other legally recognized entities.
Structure of the guidelines
The Guidelines comprise four parts.
Part one includes a background on the policy and legal context, definition of CFM, justification for implementation of CFM, lessons learnt, roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders, CFM principles and preconditions for CFM.
Part two describes the institutional arrangements for effective CFM implementation.
Part three gives the objectives and expected outputs of each stage together with practical steps on the process of developing CFM agreements.
Guidance boxes have been provided for reference purposes on how to implement certain aspects in the particular stages where they are located.
Part four contains annexes including some tools to be used alongside the guidelines, templates for CFM agreement and plan; and monitoring and evaluation plan.