The field work led to the conclusions that management efforts should be directed towards achieving stable forests and that the best basis of such efforts would be protective management by local users and their own institutions. However, outside support would be necessary if severely degraded forests like Sallepakha were to be brought to a state of stability. Outside support would be largely the responsibility of the forestry authority of the country, but would need to be sensitive to the total needs of local people, and not limited to maximising tree growth; to be readily absorbed without becoming burdensome; and to be conceived in collaboration with local people and not imposed from above. The forestry profession would need to change from being part of the bureaucratic machine to being a technical arm supporting local institutions
