Managing a valuable resource : policy notes on increasing the sustainability of the DRC’s forest production

The policy notes focus on the productive forest sector, and primarily on wood production. The artisanal sector was included for analysis as it constitutes the near-entirety of wood production in the country. It has significant potential for improving its contributions to national development and its sustainability. The industrial sector, on the other hand, provides the sector’s main current flow of financial resources for the government. Optimizing this amount should be a priority both for improving oversight, and therefore sustainability, and its financial viability. In the longer term and given substantial reforms, this part of the sector could also increase its share to national development. However, ensuring legality across all parts of wood production is a significant challenge, and must be phased appropriately. Without it, the sustainability of production cannot be increased, and several connected forest management efforts – including those under the REDD process, will be significantly harder to achieve. Moreover, an adequate flow of benefits to local populations must be ensured. Finally, many stakeholders are pinning substantial hopes on community forestry as a vehicle for increasing forests’ benefits for local populations. While this potential does indeed exist, it is important that the design allows local communities and indigenous populations with legitimate claims to the forest estate to benefit appropriately, while minimizing the potential for abuse.