National Policy on Forests of Timor-Leste, May 2017.

The forestry Policy vision is derived from the priorities identified in the Strategic Development Plan (2011-2030): "building social capital and improving the country's infrastructure supported by an emphasis on natural resource management strategies and environmental care and protection." The objective of forest development aims at the sustainable management of forest resources and river basins to provide environmental, social and economic benefits to people. The serious forestry degradation in mountainous locations is causing harmful erosion of soils and rocks and aggravating debris in riverbeds. This degradation is having an adverse effect on river basin conditions - which is directly related to water supply for irrigation and thus to food security. Degradation of forests also leads to significant loss of biodiversity (including loss of ecosystems and habitat) which can undermine the food security of rural communities. If well planned and managed, planted and regenerated forests contribute positively, economically, environmentally and socially to sustainable forest management and to help achieve food security. They can play a critical role in maintaining the health of the environment, conserving biological diversity, contributing to food security, maintaining water resources, providing low-cost renewable energy and helping to mitigate climate change.
The policy objective is to effectively protect the ecological integrity and biological composition of at least 70% of the forest area by 2030. Forest protection will facilitate sustainable forest management, preserve and maintain its ecological, social and economic values especially for subsistence sustainable development and economic development of communities, reducing poverty and for the benefit of the Nation. The protection of national forests and their ecological services is a fundamentally important aspect of land-use planning, since effective and lasting forest protection can not be achieved in relation to other aspects of forest development. It is a key feature of this policy and a challenge for land and forest management that directly affects the country's economic growth, poverty alleviation, and the stability and improvement of agriculture in most localities. Effective forest protection contributes to improved self-sufficiency in food and to the maintenance and improvement of water flows in many rivers and streams.
The policy objective is to develop and maintain a privately-based business environment for profitable forest ownership and the management, production, use and commercialization of forest products, especially for poverty alleviation among rural communities. As a specific policy objective, half of the forest dependent rural communities will be encouraged to acquire the knowledge, skills, experience and confidence needed to manage, use and market forest resources as private forest owners by 2030. The policy objective is the harmonious and effective participation of forest communities and other private sector groups with the Government by the end of 2030. Effective community participation will provide a lasting basis for forest sector development, including the implementation of protection, conservation and afforestation, sustainable forest management and development of new forest enterprises and industries.
Most actions that improve the sustainability of forest use and management contribute to mitigate the effects of climate change. Mitigating effects will be monitored to demonstrate the contributions of forestry to climate change mitigation.