The Rainforests of Cameroon - PROFOR

In-Depth Analysis of Impacts 107countless generations. Community forestry based on nontimber resourceshas been successful elsewhere (Brazil nuts, harvested by forest communitiesin South America, are one example). Similar options may emerge inCameroon, but until then, a focus on timber appears more likely.Communities opt for logging because timber appears to generaterevenues higher than those of other forest products—a situation thatencourages a dependence on industry that will not be viable over thelong term. Lacking a market culture, communities often enter intopoorly developed contracts or operate without a contract, which can bea source of conflict with loggers and buyers. Yet as long as timber remainstheir main economic focus, community forests cannot offer a realisticalternative to industrial concessions. Forest operations require expensiveequipment to cut and transport timber and skills to run companies andaccess remunerative markets. There seems to be potential for synergyin operating industrial and community forests and generating steadierand higher incomes from community forests. Even this option cannotwork without substantial regulation, oversight, and equitable agreementsbetween industry and local communities.Since 2002, timber operations in community forests can be done onlywith simple implements and chain saws. In the absence of outside help,the production is of limited value and the potential for trade limited.Given the capital and logistical constraints, it is entirely possible thatcommunity forests relying on small, artisanal timber enterprises are simplynot viable in entire areas of the country, especially the more remoteand sparsely populated ones.Collusion and corruption may prove more enduring than any otherconstraint to community forestry. Cuny and others (2004) have concludedthat the notion of establishing a community forest “rarely comesfrom the communities, but rather from all the other actors who have anadvantage in the process.” Community forests often originate through theself-interest of prominent village-originated individuals with the socialcapital to gain authorization for a community forest; sometimes these“elites” are urban civil servants who visit the village only rarely (Oyono2005; Bigombe Logo 2008). In any case, they do not represent the fullspectrum of village Delivered interests. by Rather The World they Bank are e-library generally to: well positionedThe World Bankto act as middlemen between IP the : 192.86.100.34 village and industrial interests, whichmay use the community forest Mon, 09 to Nov avoid 2009 the 17:06:18 regulations and especially thetaxes imposed on UFAs (for example, timber harvested in communityforests is not subject to area taxes or felling taxes).(c) The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank