The book was written for three different purposes: (i) better understand the types of powers assigned to municipalities to this day, (ii) better understand the increasingly important role played by municipalities in forest management, (iii) analyze the opportunities that were created and the challenges faced by the decentralization processes in the region. The book compiles findings from in-depth studies conducted in 6 countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala. It uncovers some significant forest management schemes initiated by municipalities on the regional, national and local levels. The bookOCOs authors hope that their research findings appeal to departmental and municipal public servants, decision-makers, project technicians, researchers, international cooperation agencies professionals, municipal technicians, and organization workers and that they help them better understand municipal forest management."

"Forest Resource Policy in Latin America" gathers the thinking of a score of experts on sustainable use and management of forests, including incentives for investment. The authors tackle the thorny social issues of property rights, deforestation, and forest management and ownership by indigenous people and take a hard look at the trade and environmental issues in forest production that will affect future directions for sustainable forestry development in Latin America. Some argue that the main opportunity to conserve natural forests lies in recognizing and paying for the environmental services they provide. In addition, compensatory measures such as the establishment and better management of strictly protected areas appear to be the best tools to delay the loss of ecosystems and species. Alternative forest concession policies and trade and environmental issues in forest production are also analyzed.

For successful management of tropical forests there must be a new type of partnership between indigenous peoples, the scientific community, national governments, and international development agencies. This relationship should be a contractual one, in which indigenous peoples are provided with juridical recognition and control over large areas of forest in exchange for a commitment to conserve the ecosystem and preserve biodiversity.