As Vietnam prepares for the implementation of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD), a challenge has been the limited information on how customary land rights and institutions support the preservation of Vietnam’s forests. While the government is increasingly open to partnering with local communities in conservation, there is very limited research documenting the successes and challenges of this approach in the country. 

To address this, the International Work Group on Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) Foundation, and Culture Identity and Resource Use Management (CIRUM) have partnered in a case study documenting the forest resource use and management of the Dzao and Thai people of northwest Vietnam. According to the description, ‘the study documents customary law applied in forest resource use and management among Thai and Dzao communities and concludes with a set of recommendations which can contribute to an improvement of forest related laws and policies.’ 

Read the summary of the case study report here and download the report here.