An analytic approach to structuring co–management of community forests in Cameroon

While decentralization is a prominent theme in contemporary natural resource policy and management discourse, questions have been raised concerning the sustainability of participatory approaches. Drawing on theoretical and empirical research on common pool resource management and participation, we develop a framework to evaluate community–level stakeholders’ potential suitability for engagement in co–management. Four criteria are assessed: stake in the resource, discount rate, social capital and capacity (leadership, organizational, enforcement of rules and knowledge). Inclusion of local actors who fit the framework in a governance arrangement could lead to more sustainable outcomes. We tested this screening strategy by assessing potential organizational partners for comanagement of non–wood forest products in community forests in Cameroon.