The purpose of this working group is to foster research and engagement that examines the role of governments in implementing forest and livelihood policies. Many studies of forests and forest-based livelihoods note the importance of forest officials in exacerbating policy failures – or in developing innovative solutions. Although there is a wealth of research on policy implementation and the behavior of government officials in other contexts, there is relatively little research about how forest policies can be implemented in ways that benefit livelihoods or conservation, nor on the ways policies can be designed to encourage effective implementation in the forest sector.
Furthermore, there have been few opportunities for practitioners to engage with each other in sharing successful strategies for overcoming the many barriers to implementing policies that improve forest based livelihoods. Specifically, this working group is interested in:
Advancing the application of theories of policy implementation of public management to understanding forest policy implementation
• Developing new approaches of theories to understanding the role of government officials in forest policy implementation
• Showcasing successful strategies used by practitioners to effect positive change in the management of forests.
Contact: Forrest Fleischman, ffleisch@umn.edu