Form Submission: Participation Entry

This paper will examine a Peruvian case study site from CIFOR’s global comparative study on the effectiveness and equity of multi-stakeholder forums around land use and land use change. In San Martín, CIFOR studied the management committee of the Alto Mayo Protected Forest and found that many outside the committee did not feel that it represented their interests. This paper looks at local land use priorities and perceptions of conservation initiatives in the Alto Mayo Protected Forest, and how local values are represented in the management of the area. It examines local perspectives on livelihoods, the role of powerful non-state actors in the area, and perceptions of the value of the land. While park administrators approach livelihood development projects, such as sustainably grown coffee and eco-tourism, as a solution to environmental and social problems, local experiences suggest that proposed sustainable livelihood alternatives in the area are neither easy nor clear.