Ensuring a future for collective forestry in Chinaʹs southwest: Adding human and social capital to policy reforms

Worldwide, the potential of smallholder forestry to meet policymakersʹ economic and environmental objectives is gaining increased recognition. In Southwest China, a significant portion of forests are owned and managed by smallholder, village collectives. Decisions made now will determine whether the potential of collective forestry in Southwest China can be realized, or whether smallholder forests are ultimately consolidated into larger holdings. This analysis traces the history of collective forest management in four villages in northwest Yunnan, highlighting four issues fundamental to unlocking the potential of collective forestry: policy support, forestry approach, village institutions, and multi-scale governance. Policy reforms are necessary but not sufficient as a means to bring improvements in these four areas. Investments in human and social capital–linked to the process of building more formal institutions–are essential beside longer-term institutional change.