Summary
Rainforest Alliance’s experience supporting established community forest enterprises in Mesoamerica has long informed its forest strategy in other parts of the world. As Rainforest Alliance’s work has expanded to regions where forest rights are less secure and community forestry is a more incipient practice, the organisation recognises the need for a holistic approach that aligns with its commitment to landscape-scale action. The resulting pathway for Integrated Community Forest Management (ICFM) is an articulation of this holistic, inclusive, context-based approach. As Rainforest Alliance works with partners to operationalise its vision in the field, the time is ripe for an analysis of past experience with community forest management and enterprise development supported by the Rainforest Alliance, with the aim of learning lessons that can inform ICFM efforts in the future. This summary paper outlines eight key lessons learned.