A critical aspect of implementing the UN program for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation plus (Redd+) is the need to reconcile the requirements of local livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, and carbon sequestration in the context of community-based forestry. twelve case studies guided by an interdisciplinary framework drawing on sociology, agronomy, forestry, and remote sensing made it possible to compare the trade-offs between these three values in diverse local forest governance regimes under present conditions and to develop a future scenario for Redd+ implementation. the studies found the following: (1) high carbon emission of current agriculture systems and very low yield per hectare result in a low opportunity cost for agriculture implemented in old-growth forest; (2) in certain areas, for example in forestry-oriented settlements, financially compensated reduction of carbon emissions does not, as generally suggested, adequately mitigate deforestation and forest degradation (because of higher risks of leakage and a lack of local alternatives for investing set-off labour); and (3) Redd+ implementation can become part of sustainable forest management if the labour required for more sustainable forest governance is compensated, making it possible to raise professional capacities, self-governance, knowledge sharing, and the importance of non-timber forest products without compromising biodiversity conservation or income and food security resulting from agriculture and forestry. a shift in the focus of Redd+ implementation from the output (carbon sequestration) to input management (for sustainable forestry governance) is, therefore, an important lesson learnt that should be taken up by policymakers.