Decentralization without Context: Unintended Conservation Outcomes in Cameroon’s Community Forests

Abstract

What is the conservation impact of forest decentralization reforms that inadequately consider local institutional settings and empower unaccountable groups? This study develops a theoretical framework explaining how the lack of consideration for local settings might adversely impact conservation outcomes during decentralization reforms. The case of the 1994 Cameroonian decentralization reform is then used to test the predictions. The study assesses its effects on deforestation and forest conservation through a staggered difference-in-differences design with matching. While no overall significant impact on deforestation or forest degradation was found, a regional heterogeneity analysis revealed increased forest degradation in the Southern region, driven by elite-driven timber exploitation. The empowerment of unaccountable elites may have contributed to the adverse conservation outcomes. This study contributes to the broader discourse on decentralized forest management by offering novel empirical insights from the Cameroonian experience.