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MANILA, PHILIPPINES [TAC] – ASEAN policymakers are being urged to modernize legal frameworks that govern community forestry so local residents can manage and benefit from forest resources more effectively.
The reform push focuses on clearer tenure rights, stronger support for local stewardship, and laws that recognize community forest groups as long-term partners in conservation rather than temporary users.
Advocates say the overhaul could help slow forest degradation, strengthen rural livelihoods, and improve regional climate resilience if lawmakers pair legal change with financing and enforcement.