The inclusion of communities in the management of state-owned or formerly state-owned forest resources has become increasingly common in the last 25 years.

Almost all countries in Africa, and many in Asia, are promoting the participation of rural communities in the management and utilisation of natural forests and woodlands through some form of Participatory Forest Management (PFM) (see Wily, 2001* for details on African countries). Many countries have now developed, or are in the process of developing, changes to national policies and legislation that institutionalise PFM.