Managing and Enhancing Ecosystem Services and Production of Forests, woodlands and Trees Outside Forest

Abstract

There is no doubt that the concept of community forestry has been widely accepted by foresters worldwide as one of the best alternative for multipurpose forest management. However, in many cases community forestry gained iess attention from both society and decision makers. One reason for this situation is that most discussion on community forestry focused mainly on technical aspects, and paid little attention to the means for communication. A new paradigm of community forestry should be defined by paying more attention to improve public communication effectively. Direct communication through dialogues or indirect communication through media could be very iinportant tools in directing opinion of the society as well as infhlencing policymaking process. The communication schemes, directly or indirectly, should refer to the ongoing process by which people learn attitudes, valu2s and behaviours consistent with their socio1 setting. As sources of public information, each communication scheme must have a specific target. One scheme perhaps has particular target to influence international lobby groups as ....·ell as global society to support community forestry programme, while another scheme probably concerns to address local problems of community forestry practices. A well-planned communication scheme will help to determine people's attitude, to increase public awareness, and to ensure achievements of conununity forestry programme. 111erefore, formulating proper schemeS for communication is a must to promote community forestry. This paper will discuss the role of various communication schemes to promote community forestry and formulate strategic communication schemes to enhance public a\vareness towards community forestry, espeCially inIndonesia. Keywords : community forestry, communication schemes, policy making, public avvareness