What have we learnt?

Forest conflicts

Forest conflicts have been examined for over a decade through quantitative mapping, stakeholder analysis, and case studies, revealing both global patterns and local particularities.

Spatial Patterns and Typologies. Kernel‐density mapping of over 300 documented conflicts highlighted global hotspots in Southeast Asia, Central Africa, and South America (Mola-Yudego & Gritten, 2010), while contested‐resource periphery theory showed that NGOs also target economic cores—markets and financiers—to leverage change (Gritten et al., 2013). Factor and cluster analyses then classified conflicts (e.g., illegal logging, GM trees, urban forestry) and linked them to socio‐economic indicators, providing a predictive typology of where—and what kind of—forest disputes are likely to emerge (Gritten & Mola-Yudego, 2011). Internet-based data on country-level associations with “forest conflict” qualitatively mirrors patterns found in a manually compiled global database of 300 forest conflicts, offering a novel and scalable tool for conflict mapping and index development (Mola-Yudego, et al., 2012).

Media, NGOs, and Conflict Dynamics. Despite significant stakes, international media coverage of forest conflicts remains uneven, often reflecting NGO campaigning more than conflict severity (Gritten et al., 2012). Campaigns against forestry companies primarily seek legal and regulatory reform or corporate adoption of sustainable practices, with success judged by changes in law and uptake of NGO recommendations (Gritten et al., 2012b). Across Europe, most conflicts are low‐intensity disagreements over urban forestry, conservation, and recreation, and inclusive planning with transparent communication is critical to preventing escalation (Nousiainen & Mola-Yudego, 2022).

Local Case Studies and Governance Challenges. In developing‐country contexts, weak tenure security and foreign direct investment in bioenergy plantations often spark land‐use disputes, as seen in Kenya’s Tana Delta jatropha projects (Arevalo et al., 2014). Similarly, the Umbundu agroforestry system in Angola has shown resilience under low‐intensity recurring conflicts but suffers degradation during civil‐war peaks, underscoring the importance of adaptive management and secure property rights (Delgado-Matas et al., 2015).