Many countries embarked on the decentralisation of management and decision making in response to demands for better management of natural resources, including forests, and for more equitable sharing of benefits derived from them. Forest governance reform and decentralisation in countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have taken various forms and are proceeding at different paces and are therefore at different stages of implementation. In Africa, a host of organisations, initiatives and policy instruments suggest an ongoing commitment to the principles and strategies of democratic decentralisation. While policy reform has created real opportunities, putting democratic decentralisation into practice for more equitable distribution of benefits and sustainable forest management continues to be a challenge.

The International Workshop on Forest Governance and Decentralisation in Africa will bring together diverse stakeholders, policy makers and international experts to share experiences and explore opportunities for generating concrete gains from governance reform and decentralised forest management. This initiative in support of the United Nations Forum on Forests will provide a platform for bringing lessons learnt from other international and national processes.

The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in collaboration with the Government of Switzerland, will be hosting this international workshop from 8 – 11 April 2008 in Durban.

Forest Governance Workshop 2008 Website

Jonkershoek, Western Cape		Woodbush - Magoebaskloof, Limpopo