Semi-structured interviews were used to explore how rural communities near forests are responding to environmental change in three African
nations – Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Rwanda. The study first recounts people’s perception of environmental change – what are the issues
of greatest concern identified by local communities? Second, it explores people’s responses to identified environmental problems and in
particular the role of forests in these processes. Finally, it concludes with a discussion of changing land management practices, and how their
implementation may affect the future adaptation strategies of such communities. Results suggest that people’s current and potential responses
and adaptation to environmental change are influenced by the availability and access to forests and forest resources, and the degree to which
their livelihood strategies have diversified away from forest dependence. Thus we conclude that forest policies such as REDD+ will need to
be responsive to diverse forest-based adaptation needs, rather than assuming a ‘one size fits all’ relationship between forest conservation and
adaptation to climate change.