"The present study examines the preliminary effects of decentralisation of forest administration in Kotawaringin Timur District, Central Kalimantan. It is one of nine district level case studies carried out during 2000 and early-2001 by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in four provinces: Riau, East Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and West Kalimantan. The findings presented in these studies reflect the conditions and processes that existed in the study districts during the initial phase of Indonesia's decentralisation process"--P. viii.

"The present study examines the preliminary effects of decentralisation on forests and estate crops in Kutai Barat district, East Kalimantan. It is one of nine district level case studies carried out during 2000 and early 2001 by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in four provinces: Riau, East Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and West Kalimantan. The findings presented in these studies reflect the conditions and processes that existed in the study districts during the initial phase of Indonesia's decentralisation process"--P. viii.

The decentralization of control over the vast forests of the world is moving at a rapid pace, with both positive and negative ramifications for people and forests themselves. The fresh research from a host of Asia-Pacific countries described in this book presents rich and varied experience with decentralization and provides important lessons for other regions. Beginning with historical and geographical overview chapters, the book proceeds to more in-depth coverage of the region's countries. Research findings stress rights, roles and responsibilities on the one hand, and organization, capacity-building, infrastructure and legal aspects on the other. With these overarching themes in mind, the authors take on many controversial topics and address practical challenges related to financing and reinvestment in sustainable forest management under decentralized governance. Particular efforts have been made to examine decentralization scales from the local to the national, and to address gender issues. The result is a unique examination of decentralization issues in forestry with clear lessons for policy, social equity, forest management, research, development and conservation in forested areas across the globe from the tropics to temperate regions. Published with CIFOR

Half a decade into the global land rush, land-intensive investment throughout Southeast Asia continues to confront social and environmental issues such as land conflict and improperly regulated forest conversion. This study uses publicly available financial and spatial data to examine the geography of land-intensive investment in Southeast Asia, and to identify the limits imposed by problems with data availability. It focuses on three regions where land has been widely seen to be available for new investment: Indonesia’s outer islands; the “development triangle” where Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam meet; and the Golden Quadrangle region which comprises the borderlands of northeastern Myanmar, northwestern Laos, southern and western Yunnan, and northern Thailand. These areas are examined in three chapter case studies, each of which uses the currently available spatial data to evaluate trade and investment dynamics in the area – including processes that are used to make land available – and combines these, where possible, with specially commissioned research on investment in key commodity crops to evaluate transparency with respect to financing. In a global and regional context where regulatory change is increasingly being driven by transnational concerns – by consumers, retailers and investors – information systems capable of tracking particular investments’ spatial targets, and thus their likelihood of various social and environmental outcomes, is increasingly desirable. This study describes current capabilities and challenges to realizing a more complete picture of investors’ roles in the development of “available” land.

This case study discusses decentralisation and forest management in Kapuas district, Central Kalimantan, focusing specifically on the impact of these administrative reforms on timber concessions operating there. It is based on field research carried out during June and July 2000. The study is based on interviews with government officials, forestry department staff, university researchers, NGO workers and the employees of timber workers in the provincial capital, Palangkaraya, and the district capital, Kuala Kapuas. Research was also carried out in Gunung Mas in the headwaters of the Kahayan River and further interviews were conducted with businessmen, sub-district government officials and lower level forestry staff, community leaders and local villagers. This document provides: (1) Essential background regarding the geography, economy and history of forestry in Kapuas district. (2) A discussion focuses on decentralisation and forest management, analysing the financial situation of the district administration, the efforts of the district government to create district laws to regulate the forestry sector in the district, and the initial impacts of decentralisation on spatial planning and environmental management. (3) Analyses the situation of timber concessionaires in Gunung Mas just before the decentralisation laws took effect, focusing on the changing relationships among timber companies, the local administration and local communities. The case study examines the endemic conflicts occurring between local communities and logging concessionaires in the area. Finally, it draws some conclusions regarding the impact of decentralisation on forest management in the district.

“There is an energizing boldness in this synthesis: the right big-picture questions aligning all the way down to the right complexities on the ground, and across the diverse territories that comprise contemporary Borneo. A manifesto for the kinds of cross-sectoral and applied research that can make the difference to the future of Borneo.” Cynthia Ong, Chief Executive Facilitator, Forever Sabah “A surgical and timely compendium on the transformation of Borneo’s forests and land use with clear regional implications. If you care about the future of conservation in this part of the world, you will find all the key ingredients here for its salvation.” Gopalasamy Reuben Clements, Professor at Sunway University, Co-founder of Nature-Based Solutions “A perspective about balancing the future amidst the need for economic and social development while providing a better and more sustainable Borneo. It is something that you will need to help drive home change and make a sustainable impact for people and planet without compromising profit.” Timothy Ong, Head of Circular Bio-economy Unit, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)