Forest Development, Conservation and Utilization Proclamation No. 1065/2018.

This Proclamation makes provision with respect to the development, conservation and sustainable utilization of forest resources in Ethiopia. It concerns both private and public forests. It defines the powers and duties of in respect of forestry management and conservation of the Ministry or Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, any regional governmental executive organ that is responsible to implement forest development, conservation and utilization.
There shall be the following types of forest ownership፡ 1/ Private forest or; 2/ Community forest or 3/ Association forest 4/ State forest. Obligations and rights of Private Forest Developers, Community Forest Developers and Associations of Forest Developers are defined. “Association forest" means a forest developed, conserved, utilized and administered by associations established to develop a forest. The private developer and community developer shall, among other things, observe the laws issued in respect of environmental safety, watershed and bio-diversity conservation, development and utilization, shall use the acquired forest land only for the intended purpose, and shall respect the important local culture, custom and knowledge. Community Forest Developers shall have priority, as appropriate, in benefitting from the forests concession given by the government. The shall share any benefits generated from the forest development as per the community by-laws. Associations of forest developers will have the same rights and incentives as private forest developers.
State forests shall be classified as follows: 1/ productive forest 2/ protected forest 3/ preserved forest. The Proclamation defines the responsibilities with respect each of these types of forests. Preserved forest shall be protected from any human and domestic animals intervention except for the purpose of research, education, and disaster prevention. The Ministry shall, among other things, ensure the implementation of this Proclamation in collaboration with the responsible regional sector develop a system in order to determine benefit sharing right of forest products, develop an early warning, prevention and control mechanism to prevent the occurrence of damage to forest resources and, upon the occurrence of damage, to take emergency measures by coordinating regional and other relevant bodies, and enhance watershed-based forest development. Notwithstanding the power of each regional state to administer its forest resource in accordance with this Proclamation, the Federal Government may take over and administer, in cases where: a) The forest could not be properly developed and conserved jointly by neighbouring regional states; b) It becomes necessary to administer the forest or forest land by the federal government because of its national, regional and international significance. The management of the forest shall be in a manner to generate revenues from eco-tourism, carbon trade and other related eco-system services.
Executive organs of the Regional States shall administer any forest land and state forest found in the regional state; supervise and support the development, conservation and administration of private and community forests in line with this Proclamation. They shall also, among other things, regularly monitor and evaluate whether forest developers given land on which to develop forests have used the land for the intended purpose and whether the use of the land is in accordance with the agreed forest management plan and "provide ownership for forest development based on watershed through community participation". The Government shall be instrumental in the conservation of forest resources and expansion of the trade in forest products and markets. The government may demarcate a forest or forest land for the purpose of carbon trade. The Government shall formulate forest development, conservation and utilization plans to allow the participation of the local community in the development and conservation and also in the sharing of benefits from the development of state forests. The government shall also ensure the enhancement of urban forests. The Government, in order to introduce agro-forestry practices among the farming, semi-pastoral and pastoral communities, shall provide them with sufficient amount of plant seeds and seedlings of tree species that could have different economic benefits.