In Southeast Asia, deforestation is accelerating at an alarming rate. Between 2001 and 2019, the region is calculated to have lost 610,000 square kilometres (235,500 square miles) of forest, an area larger than Thailand.
This vast loss comes with devastating costs for biodiversity and forest communities. We are working to change this by helping design legal frameworks that protect local rights and empower communities to manage their lands sustainably.
Overwhelming evidence shows that local forest communities and Indigenous Peoples are the best guardians of woodlands and the delicate balance of forest ecosystems. Protecting their ownership and rights to manage natural spaces is the most effective way to defend against deforestation in Southeast Asia
We are working to build strong community forestry laws in the region that enshrine the management rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, and ensure they have direct participation in decisions that impact the health of their forests.