Forests, Governance, and Sustainability: Common Property Theory and its Contributions

Abstract

This paper examines the contributions of scholars of commons to forest governance. It outlines the domain of the research on forest-based commons by examining how ownership rights in relation to forests are broadly distributed in different parts of the world. It reviews theoretical and empirical contributions from scholars of forest-based commons by keeping in mind that much of the research on forest-based commons contributes directly to an understanding of policy concerns related to forest governance. Analyzing the contributions of the research on forest-based commons helps identify the importance of property rights arrangements, local levels of use and management, and communal relationships that often frame local governance. The review also assesses gaps related to data, theory, and methods in the study of forest-based commons. The conclusion to the paper outlines some pressing and exciting new areas for future research.