Forest Policy That Works: Why We Must Fund Indigenous Stewardship

Imagine you are a policy advisor for a national government. Your inbox is full of satellite alerts: primary forest loss in your country has ticked up again. You have a binder of commitments—the 2030 pledge, the Kunming-Montreal framework—but the numbers aren't moving. What do you actually do?

We've been here before. For three decades, we've watched net forest loss fall from 10.7 million hectares per year in the 1990s to 4.12 million hectares per year in 2015–2025 (FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025). That's progress, but gross deforestation still runs at 10.9 million hectares per year—down 38% from 1990–2000, yet still devastating. And while 145 countries have pledged to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030 (WRI Global Forest Review), the latest data shows we're not on track.

The Numbers That Should Keep You Up at Night

Tropical primary forest loss in 2023 was 3.7 million hectares—a 9% decrease from 2022, but still equivalent to losing almost 10 football fields per minute (WRI Global Forest Review). The Democratic Republic of the Congo loses about half a million hectares of primary rainforest each year. Laos lost 1.9% of its remaining primary forest in a single year—five times faster than Brazil relative to forest area. Nicaragua lost 4.2% of its primary forest in 2023. These aren't just statistics; they're entire ecosystems and livelihoods vanishing.

Here's the uncomfortable truth: more than 96% of deforestation occurs in the tropics (WRI Global Forest Review). And while Brazil and Colombia have made strides—Brazil cut primary forest loss by 36% in 2023, its lowest since 2015—other nations are backsliding. Bolivia's primary forest loss rose 27% to a record high, with fires accounting for 51% of the loss. Indonesia's loss rose 27% in an El Niño year. The problem is far from solved.

Why Traditional Protected Areas Aren't Enough

We've put 20% of the world's forests—813 million hectares—into legally protected areas, up 251 million hectares since 1990 (FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment). That sounds good, but protection on paper doesn't always mean protection on the ground. In the Amazon, scientists found that deforestation in territories occupied and managed by Indigenous peoples was far lower than in parks and other protected areas (NASA Earth Observatory). That's a critical insight: governance matters more than designation.

Indigenous territories cover about a quarter of the Amazon, and they're often the last line of defense against deforestation. Yet they receive a fraction of climate finance. We need to shift policy from creating paper parks to supporting Indigenous stewardship—with secure land tenure, direct funding, and legal backing.

What Actually Works: Restoration and Management Plans

We're not starting from zero. The Bonn Challenge, launched in 2011, has already seen more than 210 million hectares pledged for restoration by over 60 countries (IUCN Bonn Challenge). That's a start, but the goal is 350 million hectares by 2030—we're only 60% there. And restoration isn't just about planting trees; it's about restoring functioning ecosystems. Restoring global mangrove losses since 1996 could safeguard carbon equivalent to 1.27 gigatonnes of CO2 (Global Mangrove Watch). That's a concrete, measurable win.

But here's the catch: more than half of forests (2.13 billion hectares) are under long-term management plans (FAO). That's good, but 71% of forests are publicly owned, and only 24% private. Public ownership often means bureaucratic inertia. We need to push for management plans that are actually implemented, not just filed.

A Realistic Scenario: Where Policy Meets Ground

Let's walk through a realistic scenario. You're advising a government in a tropical country with high deforestation. You have limited budget. What do you do?

• First, prioritize protecting primary forests—they're irreplaceable. They cover at least 1.18 billion hectares, about one-third of all forests, and they hold the most carbon and biodiversity (FAO).
• Second, recognize that naturally regenerating forests are declining—down 324 million hectares since 1990. Don't let them become pasture or soy.
• Third, invest in restoration in degraded areas, but do it smartly. Planted forests cover only 8% of forest area (312 million hectares), so they can't replace natural forests.

Now, apply the numbers: if you target Indigenous territories, you get more bang for your buck. In Brazil, Indigenous territories have lower deforestation rates than parks. In Colombia, reducing primary forest loss by 49% in 2023 (WRI) shows it's possible. But it requires political will and funding.

The Way Forward: A Clear Recommendation

We need to stop treating forest conservation as a side issue. Here's my recommendation: redirect at least 30% of global forest finance to Indigenous-led conservation and community-based management. This isn't charity; it's effectiveness. The data is clear: Indigenous territories are better at keeping forests standing than many official protected areas.

Second, we need to enforce existing laws. The fact that 55% of forests are under management plans, yet deforestation continues, means those plans aren't working. We need accountability, not just paper commitments.

Third, we must tackle the drivers of deforestation, especially in the tropics. Fire-driven loss in Canada jumped five-fold in 2023, but that's a different problem—climate change. In the tropics, it's agriculture, logging, and mining. We need policies that make forest conservation economically viable, such as carbon payments and sustainable supply chains.

The Bonn Challenge and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework are steps, but they're not enough. We need to move from pledges to performance. The leaders in reforestation—China, Russia, India, Türkiye, Australia—show what's possible (FAO). China alone adds 1.6 million hectares per year. But we can't just plant trees; we must protect what remains.

In the end, it's about choices. We have the tools and the knowledge. The question is whether we have the will to fund what works.

Sources

• FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025 - https://www.un-redd.org/post/global-deforestation-slows-forests-remain-under-pressure-fao-report-shows
• WRI Global Forest Review: 2023 tree cover loss - https://gfr.wri.org/global-tree-cover-loss-data-2023
• NASA Earth Observatory: Tropical Deforestation - https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/Deforestation
• IUCN Bonn Challenge press release - https://iucn.org/press-release/202511/germany-and-iucn-celebrate-15-years-bonn-challenge-worlds-largest-restoration
• Global Mangrove Watch data update - https://www.mangrovealliance.org/news/data-update-to-global-mangrove-watch
• CBD Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework - https://www.cbd.int/gbf