Eight out of a total of 11 papers are included on the special topic: (1) The added value of social forestry in Bhutan ( Topper, E. ; 4-13; 7 ref.); (2) Sustainable forest management in Bhutan ( Pekelder, O. ; 14-19; 3 ref.); (3) Participatory forest management in West Kalimantan, Indonesia ( Kimman, P. ; 20-29); (4) Teak [ Tectona grandis ] planting by farmers in Lao PDR ( Pals, R.; Delnoye, R. ; 30- 41; 9 ref.); (5) Meaning and practice of participation. The case of Nepal ( Umans, L. ; 42-50; 9 ref.); (6) Land tenure arrangements and forest based development in Papua New Guinea ( Louman, B.; Siaguru, P. ; 51-58; 11 ref.); (7) Forestry development in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam ( Verdoes, A. ; 59-64; 7 ref.); and (8) Backgrounds of decision making in forest management regulations in Black Thai cooperatives in Son La Province, Vietnam ( Eeuwes, J. ; 65-70; 2 ref.).