Research frontiers on forests, trees, and poverty dynamics

Abstract Forests and trees provide a range of goods and services vital for human well-being, particularly for people who live below the poverty line. Yet a number of important knowledge gaps remain regarding the relationship between forests, trees, and poverty dynamics. Here, we highlight five research priorities that require urgent attention if policy makers and practitioners are to realize the potential for forests and tree-based systems to contribute to poverty alleviation. These are: examining forest-poverty dynamics, especially over the medium- to long-term; assessing the relative effectiveness of different forest-related policy and management interventions for poverty alleviation; identifying the key barriers to more equitable, just, and sustainable use of forests and trees, and ways to overcome them; expanding the evidence base to cover under-represented geographies and contexts; and bringing to light the ‘hidden dimensions’ of forest contributions to poverty alleviation.