"Community forestry, in which local people are the decision-makers in managing forests and natural resources, strengthens community land rights, develops local livelihoods, and conserves precious ecosystems. These elements are important for Myanmar’s fight against climate change. Recognising this, the government aims to establish 920,000 hectares of community forests throughout the country under its Forestry Master Plan (2001-2030). But will community forests bring substantial benefits to local communities and allow them to better tackle climate change? As part of a research team from The Center for People and Forests and the University of Toronto, Canada, we conducted a study of Myanmar’s dry zone, which found that community forestry can be a viable strategy for communities to adapt to climate change, but only if certain challenges are addressed first. Community forests must first gain certification from the government through a highly complicated process that could act as a deterrent for potential new community forests. Much of the land designated as community forests is actually degraded and cannot provide socio-economic benefits. Communities also lack the tools that they need to produce and market their products, including machinery and roads..."