This guide to Investing in Locally Controlled Forestry (ILCF) is an outcome of the Growing Forest Partnerships initiative that engaged The Forests Dialogue to co-ordinate 11 wideranging dialogues involving investors, rights-holders, governments, donors and others on this topic. It is primarily a tool for practical action and its advice draws on strong evidence showing that locally-controlled forestry enterprises can be successful, sustainable and profitable for all stakeholders.

This handbook has been developed to guide assessment teams through the Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM), or any part of it. The handbook has been developed for three main target groups: • those who are commissioning an assessment, e.g. senior-level government officials, who need to know what it will entail and what outputs to expect; • those who are conducting an assessment, i.e.