Which Way Forward

Conclusion

So what can we conclude from this set of articles, written in the center of a maelstrom? They do not represent any sort of final “steady state.” Rather they represent the kinds of problems that Indonesian policymakers have been coping with, in some cases for months, in others for decades. They also represent problems that are not so terribly unusual in the world's tropical forests and among the peoples who live in them. These articles sound alarm bells, while in most cases suggesting some practical entry points for solutions. Here we briefly summarize the main policy issues, discuss Indonesia's role on the world stage, and conclude with a policy narrative that has colored much of the policy linking people and forests in Indonesia. ...