The briefing paper is based on a review conducted by Dr. Phan Trieu Giang and Dr. Tran Nam Thang, on behalf of Tropenbos Viet Nam, and supported by Tropenbos International. It has been produced within the framework of the Green Livelihoods Alliance - Millieudefensie, IUCN NL and Tropenbos International - funded under the ‘Dialogue and Dissent’ strategic partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

In this briefing paper, the authors focus on the allocation of forest land to communities. This implies that a community receives a land-use right certificate (LURC), which in Viet Nam is known as a Red Book, or equivalent documents for forest land allocation. The certificate gives a community the right to manage an area of forest land for 50 years. It is not allowed to divide the forest to individual community members, and the land cannot be sold or mortgaged. Most community certificates are provided to native communities, who have managed the forests for generations. Forest land allocation is often initiated by state authorities or development projects, rather than by the communities themselves.