Mandatory Author Declaration

The Mandatory Author Declaration is an essential component of the manuscript submission process for JOPFE: Journal of People, Forest and Environment. This declaration ensures that all authors adhere to the journal’s ethical standards, integrity principles, and administrative requirements. It covers several key aspects designed to maintain transparency, accountability, and scientific credibility in research publications focusing on people, forests, and the environment.

1. Originality and Prior Publications

• Authors must confirm that the submitted manuscript is an original work that has not been previously published and is not under consideration by another journal. Any related or prior publications relevant to the submitted manuscript must be clearly disclosed, and copies should be provided. This requirement aims to prevent redundant publication and uphold the originality of the work.

2. Conflicts of Interest and Financial Support

• Authors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may influence the objectivity or integrity of the research, including financial, professional, or personal relationships. All sources of financial or institutional support that contributed to the research must be acknowledged. If no conflicts of interest or funding are present, authors must explicitly state: “The authors confirm that there are no known conflicts of interest associated with this publication, and there has been no significant financial support for this work that could have influenced its outcome.”

3. Authorship and Order of Authors

• All listed authors must have read and approved the final version of the manuscript, and the order of authors must be mutually agreed upon. Any request to add, remove, or rearrange authors after the manuscript has been accepted must be submitted by the Corresponding Author to the Journal Manager, along with:

• A valid reason for the change, and
• Written confirmation from all authors, including the author(s) being added or removed.
• Requests made by anyone other than the Corresponding Author will be referred back to them for verification. Publication will be suspended until authorship issues are resolved. After online publication, any authorship changes can only be made through a corrigendum.

4. Intellectual Property

• Authors must ensure that all intellectual property rights associated with the manuscript are properly addressed. This includes obtaining necessary permissions for materials such as figures, data, or copyrighted content, and confirming that there are no legal or institutional restrictions preventing publication.

5. Ethical Approval

• For research involving human participants, local communities, or animals, authors must confirm that ethical approval has been obtained from the appropriate institutional or national ethics committee. This is particularly important for studies involving forest-dependent communities, conservation programs, or the management of natural resources. This section may be omitted if not applicable.

6. Consent for Identifiable Data

• If the manuscript includes data or information that can identify individuals or community groups (for example, in studies involving forest communities or participatory research), authors must confirm that informed consent has been obtained from the relevant parties. This section may be omitted if not relevant to the manuscript.

7. Impact Statement

• Authors are required to provide a concise statement describing the potential impact of their research findings. This statement should emphasize the contribution of the study to the advancement of scientific knowledge or practice in forestry, environmental management, and community-based resource governance. It should also explain how the work addresses key issues or challenges related to people, forests, and the environment.

8. Acknowledgements

• Authors should acknowledge all individuals or organizations that contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship. This includes technical support, administrative assistance, or funding sources. Each contribution should be clearly described in the Acknowledgements section.

9. Corresponding Author Responsibilities

• The Corresponding Author serves as the primary liaison between the author group and the editorial office of JOPFE: Journal of People, Forest and Environment. They are responsible for ensuring timely communication, managing revisions, and keeping their contact information updated and active for correspondence related to the manuscript.

By signing this Mandatory Author Declaration, all authors affirm that the information provided is accurate, complete, and consistent with the publication ethics and policies of JOPFE: Journal of People, Forest and Environment. Failure to provide accurate or complete information may result in delays in the review process or rejection of the manuscript.