Institutional design for village-level forest conservation: Lessons from South Korea and implications for Vietnam
Published: September 16, 2026
Abstract
This study examines lessons Vietnam can draw from South Korea in designing institutional configurations to improve village-level forest conservation. The findings show that effective conservation depends on complementary arrangements in which local organizations possess meaningful decision-making authority, participation is context-sensitive and capacity-building oriented, collective rights are secure and equitable, and accountability combines community monitoring with formal oversight. State support is most effective when it provides legal recognition, stable finance, technical assistance, and strategic coordination without undermining local ownership. Ecological restoration should also be linked to strengthening durable participatory institutions. Vietnam should therefore move from isolated participation programs toward integrated, adaptive, and multilevel governance configurations while prioritizing context-specific experimentation rather than direct institutional replication.
Chính phủ Việt Nam. (2021). Quyết định số 523/QĐ-TTg ngày 01/4/2021 về việc phê duyệt Chiến lược phát triển lâm nghiệp Việt Nam giai đoạn 2021 - 2030, tầm nhìn đến năm 2050
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