Efficacy of forest law enforcement and incentive based conservation to prevent illegal logging in developing countries: experience from Bangladesh

Forest law enforcement has long been considered as the most effective strategy to prevent illegal logging and is widely practiced across the tropics. However, the efficacy and the role of forest law enforcement in preventing illegal logging have very often been questioned, particularly in developing countries, in which a complex sociopolitical context exists amid conditions of chronic poverty and high unemployment. Rehabilitation of illegal loggers through provision of access to various alternative income generating (AIG) opportunities is quite a recent and unique approach that has been adopted in some forests of Bangladesh. An exploratory study was conducted to understand the effect of forest law enforcement and economic incentives in different forms of AIG schemes to prevent illegal logging in two conservation areas in the north-eastern territory of Bangladesh, in which the government implemented economic incentives to curb the activities of illegal loggers. Thirty (n= 30) illegal loggers were interviewed between early 2007 and early 2009 using a semi-structured questionnaire. Additionally, some informal interviews were arranged with local forest officials and politically influential persons. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. The study suggested that enforcement of customary forest law had no or very little impact on the overall situation; in some cases, such enforcement has even worsened conditions, as in both conservation areas some illegal loggers were found to have continued illegal logging just to meet the fees associated with court appearances and legal costs. In contrast, different AIG options designed to influence illegal loggers appeared to be very useful to tackle illegal logging as in both study areas both the frequency and amount of illegal timber harvested were reduced considerably compared to earlier period. The number of cases filed against illegal loggers was also reduced, and, most interestingly, illegal loggers responded most positively to AIG schemes when they found themselves much closer to forests, with clearly defined rights and responsibilities. Some other major factors that were identified to be hindering good outcomes were—livelihood and tenure insecurity, high demand for timber attributable to comparatively lower local timber prices, easy transportation networks, lack of conspicuous forest boundaries, inappropriate forest law, and inadequate staffing and capacity of the Forest Department. It is concluded that, ensuring greater benefits to illegal forest users with tenure rights, providing greater access to AIG options, revision of existing forest law and bringing country’s rapidly declining forests under REDD+ mechanisms could secure the sustainability of forest resources in Bangladesh