Representatives from all 11 ASEAN member states gathered in Jakarta this week for a regional workshop aimed at strengthening social forestry governance through improved legal frameworks, knowledge sharing, and community participation.

Organized by ClientEarth, the ASEAN Working Group on Social Forestry (AWG-SF), and RECOFTC Indonesia, the two-day workshop on 4–5 August was hosted by Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry. Participants exchanged experiences, best practices, and innovative approaches in implementing the ASEAN Guiding Principles for Effective Social Forestry Legal Frameworks (AGP).

The AGP, developed in 2019 by ClientEarth and RECOFTC Indonesia with AWG-SF, serves as a regional framework to strengthen legal and institutional support for social forestry, with the goal of improving Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' access to social forestry schemes and sustainable forest management.

“At the ASEAN level, collaboration on social forestry has continued to grow through regional platforms, shared guidance, and sustained exchanges among Member States. The efforts provide an important foundation for aligning national policies with regional aspirations, strengthening forest tenure and community participation,” said Markus Octavianus Susatyo, director of the Social Forestry Management Directorate of Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry.

Dr. Dian Sukmajaya, senior officer for forestry at the ASEAN Secretariat, said ASEAN continues to promote sustainable forest management through stronger legal and policy frameworks, enhanced institutional capacity, sustainable community livelihoods, and regional knowledge sharing. He added that social forestry could support the ASEAN One Billion Trees Growing Initiative and the promotion of nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation across the region.

The workshop builds on a series of capacity-building initiatives supported by ClientEarth and RECOFTC Indonesia since 2019, including a regional workshop in 2024 and a national training program for Indonesian forest agencies in 2025.

During the workshop, delegates from ASEAN member states presented national experiences in implementing social forestry programs and discussed common challenges, regulatory developments, and opportunities for regional cooperation.