Forests in a post-COVID economy: lessons from Thailand
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Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that has caused enormous effects on human lives and the global economy. Political aspirations and discourses have been placing hopes in forestry sector to contribute to green recovery in a post-pandemic context. However, there is limited information and evidence of COVID-19 impacts on the forestry sector and the role forestry sector can play in the green recovery transition. Using Thailand as a case study, this research examines and analyzes the impacts of COVID-19 on the forestry sector, and identifies some areas for forestry sector to contribute in green recovery. Data was collected through desk reviews, key expert interviews and field visits. The results indicate that forestry sector operations in terms of plantations, forestation, and reforestation have slowed down. Forest-based industries and timber trade has been affected due to delay in transport and lengthening of production processes. Forest-based tourism was negatively affected with communities losing the main source of the income. The study concludes that forests are safety nets and serve multiple functions from supporting livelihoods of local communities to regulating the environment, to providing raw materials to forest industry and trade. There is a potential for the forestry
sector to utilize its full potential for green recovery measures. However, to make it happen, there is a need for a fresh debate in optimally utilizing forests with forest science and land-use planning in ways that offer safety nets, conserves resources, and generates economy. In addition, it is equally important to foster an enabling policy environment by tackling conflicting policy provisions, embedding social protection mechanisms, and strengthening the tenure security of stakeholders, particularly of local communities. Likewise, targeted investment and financing measures on forestry sector needs to be vested to ensure the green recovery transition in a post-COVID context.
Keywords: Sustainable forest management, landuse, safety nets, tenure security, local communities
ID: 3623674