This module highlighted the evolution of development thinking in forestry and how community empowerment contributes to the thrusts of sustainable forest management (SFM). It explored the rational of forestry for local community development and looked at forestry as a form of a development intervention. It also analyzed the limitations of current forestry initiatives in advancing local community development by looking at case studies of Nepal, Thailand, and the Philippines. This module also recommended the importance of community participation vis-à-vis various forestry stakeholders toward SFM.
