Forest communities are people who depend on forest lands for their survival. There are about 500 million people across Africa, Asia, and Latin America who depend on forests for their livelihoods, food and employment. They play an important role in protecting the forests and to ensure its sustainability. The forest lands are held collectively by either rural or indigenous communities based on a shared history, language, culture, or lineage and have low levels of income – and some are in extreme poverty and illiterate. Compared to individual private property, most community forest lands are governed by customary rights, rules, and institutions which pre-date most modern governments, and continue to adapt to changing circumstances. (WRI, 2015). Mexico is considered one of the global leaders in community managed forestry – over 80 percent of its forests -- are under the legal jurisdiction of communities. Through government-recognized tenure and high degree of local decision-making authority, significant progress has been made over the last 30 years in the development of community forest enterprises (CFEs). There are more than 3,000 communities throughout Mexico who have developed forest management plans and, as of June 2011, 23 CFEs held Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificates verifying their sustainable forest management practices. Successful CFEs have contributed greatly to local development by generating employment and building community assets. Recent studies have shown that sustainably managed community forests can be more effective than protected areas at conserving forestland, and in the reduction of forest degradation and enhancement of forests. (FAO, 2009). A transparent legal framework is essential for the development of sustainable forest communities. Mexico is often considered as a good practice where the legal framework has been very conducive to the establishment of community forests.