Major investments have been made in recent decades in the development of community forestry. Drawing on two contrasting cases – Nepal (multiple purpose, relatively low value upland forests) and Cameroon (humid lowland forests of high commercial value) – this paper argues that policy development has involved many unknowns, necessitating a learning process orientation and considerable flexibility. This involves substantial cost, but the benefits may be significant, as regards both rural livelihoods and the proper husbandry of hitherto under-managed resources.