Increase of forest carbon biomass due to community forestry management in Nepal

Community forest management helps in mitigating deforestation and forest degradation by addressing the negative aspects of rural livelihoods such as poverty and social exclusion. It is important in regulating global climate by encouraging sequestration of carbon in shoots, roots and soils. We studied the status of community forest management, forest resource harvest and carbon stocks in two community forests of the mid hill region of central and western Nepal. The study was based on primary and secondary data collected through carbon stock measurement from field visits and allometric equations, household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and review of past studies. Socioeconomic variables such as gender, age group, livestock and landholding status were related to resource utilization, conservation, and management of community forest. Forest resources such as timber, firewood, fodder and leaf litter were harvested in sustainable ways. People were involved in forest thinning, co-management meetings, guarding and planting trees for forest conservation and management. Density and carbon stock of trees increased gradually in comparison to a previous study. We recommend further research on other community forests for more accurate and better results.     

A scientific assessment of traditional knowledge on firewood and fodder values in Sikkim,India

Communities in the Yuksam-Dzongri trekking corridor of Sikkim use a wide variety of plant species as firewood and fodder with species preferences based on their local knowledge. Current practices are increasing harvest pressures on good quality firewood and fodder plants leading to deteriorating forest condition along the trekking corridor. To help develop management strategies and to ensure the long term sustainability of forest resources in this region, it is important to understand local peoples’ basis for their species preferences. In this paper, we compared people's preferences for species used as firewood and fodder using Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools with data on these species’ chemical constituent properties to better understand the rationale for local preferences. Sixteen woody trees species (Rhododendron arboreum, Rhododendron falconeri, Rhododendron barbatum, Quercus lamellosa, Q. lineate, Schima wallichii, Prunus cerasoides, Prunus nepalensis, Castanopsis hystrix, Beilschmiedia sikkimensis, Acer oblongum, Betula alnoides, Eurya acuminate, Symplocos ramosissima, Alnus nepalensis and Litsaea elongate) and twenty-three fodder plants (including Thysanolaena maxima, Ficus nemoralis, Q. lamellosa, Imperata cylindrical, and Saurauia nepaulensis), the most widely used species in the area, were selected for study. The tree species were evaluated for their wood properties (calorific value, wood density, moisture and ash content) based on the Firewood Value Index (FVI), and fodder species for their nutritional qualities (dry matter, nitrogen and crude protein, and fat content). Most of the highly preferred species were found to have high values for firewood or fodder properties, and a significant correlation was found between the community scores and the FVI and some fodder attributes, namely dry matter and protein content. The study illustrates the applicability of local knowledge in relation to the chemical properties of species used for firewood and fodder.     

“薪炭林”林种商榷

目前我国将森林划分为五大林种,"薪炭林"是其中之一。分析"薪炭林"的概念及其与其它林种关系,结合林业生产经营管理实际,笔者认为,"薪炭林"作为一个林种划分并不妥当,且"薪炭林"作为一个林种在森林区划、经营管理中存在问题,"防护林、用材林、经济林、特种用途林"四大林种即可涵盖如今森林经营的各种模式,传统划分的"薪炭林",应该隶属于用材林,或是用材林中的一个亚林种。     

Effects of Different Management Practices on Stand Composition and Species Diversity in Subtropical Forests in Nepal: Implications of Community Participation in Biodiversity Conservation

In this article, we compared the structure, composition, and diversity of trees, shrubs and saplings, seedlings and herbaceous species of community- and government-managed forests in the lowlands of eastern Nepal. Results suggest that among the trees, the community forest was dominated by a single species, Shorea robusta. However, Shorea robusta and Terminalia myriocarpa were codominant in the government forest. Tree density and basal area were higher in the government forest, but shrub/sapling density and basal area were higher in the community forest, suggesting a positive effect of community management on tree regeneration. Overstory species assemblages showed an obvious compositional difference between the forests, but understory species assemblages were less obvious. Plot-level tree and shrub/sapling species richness was higher in the government forest than the community forest. However, seedling-herbaceous species richness was higher in the community forest. The dominance of Shorea robusta trees in the community forest suggests that people involved in managing forests may be more interested in a limited number of economically valuable species while removing less important trees. Such preferential management practices may increase resource heterogeneity within a forest and maintain species diversity in the understory. Thus, community participation in forest management should be encouraged, with guided management techniques and exercises, to achieve maximum forest recovery, provide sustainable ecosystem services, and maintain forest diversity.     

Community Forestry Enterprises in Mexico: Sustainability and Competitiveness

Community-based forest management, such as Community Forest Enterprises (CFEs), has the potential to generate positive socioenvironmental and economic outcomes. We performed a detailed survey of financial and production parameters for 30 of the approximately 992 CFEs in Mexico in order to estimate costs, income, profits, and sustainability of harvest levels for forest management, harvest, and sawmilling. Fourteen of the 30 CFEs harvested more timber than they grew in 2011, suggesting issues with sustainability, but only two of these had harvest far above annual growth, and five of those were only a fraction more than annual growth. All of the 30 CFEs except one made profits in forest management and timber growing. For timber harvesting, 22 of 30 CFEs made profits, but the losses were small for the other CFEs. For the 23 CFEs with sawmills, 18 made profits and five had losses; the greatest returns for the CFEs accrued to those with sawmills for lumber production. On average, the CFEs surveyed had high costs of production relative to other countries, but the CFEs were still profitable in national lumber markets. If Mexico were to begin importing large amounts of lumber from lower cost countries, this could pose a threat to CFE profitability.     

Development and evaluation of local communities incentive programs for improving the traditional forest management: A case study of Northern Zagros forests,Iran

We examined the local community incentive programs to improve traditional forest management in three forested villages in Baneh city, Kurdistan province in the northern Zagros forests of western Iran. Zagros forests cover 6.07 million ha and support rich plant and animal diversity. Changes in local community social and economic sys-tems and the inefficiency of traditional forest management led to a criti-cal situation in the stability of forest regeneration in recent decades. Due to a shortage of productive and arable lands and resulting unemployment and poverty, people overexploited the Zagros forests. Outside interven-tion in traditional forest management creates conflicts between local peoples and forest management organizations. To achieve sustainable forest management, including forest resources conservation and im-provement of natural resource based livelihoods of communities, it is desirable to implement Forestry Incentive Programs （FIP） based on the important functions of forests. Detailed information on the so-cio-economics of communities, the effect of forests on local livelihoods, and lists of products extracted from the forest were obtained from a sur-vey of local communities though questionnaire, interview and observa-tion. We studied 276 households in three villages and completed 76 ques-tionnaires by householders in the quantitative analysis. Sampling was performed by simple random sampling （SRS）. The needs of rural com-munities, such as livestock husbandry, mainly arise from the characteris-tics and environmental features of villages. We identified the driving forces, pressures, status, impacts and responses （DPSIR） to design incen-tive programs, by DPSIR analysis and interaction analysis. Evaluation of local community benefits from forests showed that in order to improve forest management, 319 dollars per year would be needed by each family as an incentive in 2010 to prevent lopping and firewood collecting, the main causes of forest degradation.     

Equity Mechanisms in Traditional Forest Management Systems: A Case Study of Loita Forest in Kenya

Equity in forest resources access remains a key challenge. In Kenya this was exacerbated by the application of command and control management approaches. The introduction of Participatory Forest Management (PFM) in 1997 has started changing this scenario. The main objective of this study was to determine the equity mechanisms practiced under Traditional Community Based Forest Management (TCBFM), a traditional form of participatory forest management in Loita forest. An assessment of the impact of this management approach showed that equity and pro poor practices were inherent in Loita forest, where TCBFM was being implemented. The approach facilitated the poor to build up assets through relatives contributing to their livelihood assets. This was sustained through traditional support systems that are interwoven with forestry management. A majority of the community members interviewed perceived that the importance of the forest to household livelihood had been increasing since 1995. An increase in household assets since 1995 was associated with household participation in Traditional Community Based Natural Resources Management (TCBNRM). A majority (93%) of the households who were members of TCBNRM indicated grazing as the benefit. There was a general perception that participation in this form of PFM contributed to improvement of economic, physical, natural, human, social, and political capitals at the household and community levels.     

Utilization of non-timber forest products in humid tropics: Implications for management and livelihood

Community dependence on forest resources for diverse needs has high implications for long term management of forests. Sustainable extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) is considered best feasible strategy for forest conservation in biodiversity rich areas. This paper examines the heterogeneity of NTFPs use by tribal communities in northeast India, a global hot spot by examining diversity of NTFPs at-large, its consumption pattern, and contribution to rural income and forest revenue. A total of 343 NTFPs recorded used for diverse purposes by tribal communities. When species choice grouped as per use category, utilization for medicinal (163 species), edible fruits (75 species) and vegetables (65 species) purposes was reasonably high. Community dependence on forest resources was 100% for firewood and house construction material. 76 plant species were sold in three major local markets while an additional 22 species traded at commercial scale mainly outside the state. NTFPs contributed 19-32% of total household income for different tribal communities, which was significant. Illicium griffithii, Rubia cordifolia, Oroxylum indicum, Swertia chirayita, Litsea sebifera, Taxus wallichiana, Valeriana jatamansii, Thalictrum foliolosum, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Everniastrum cirrhatum, Cordyceps sinensis, Aconitum fletcherianum, Nardostachys jatamansi, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Gymnadenia orchidis, Calamus, Quercus and Pinus roxbughii were important commercial species. NTFPs also generated substantial revenue to the State government, though it is falling year after year, which is alarming. To meet community livelihoods, income and forest revenue from NTFPs, it desires a thorough management plan and policy guidelines for these resources from all line departments. The knowledge on diversity, its consumption pattern, and contribution to rural income and forest revenue may enable planners to accurately plan sustainable management of NTFP resources and community development in near future.     

加格达奇林业局森林经营中采伐方式的探讨

加格达奇林业局根据本局森林资源状况,在2001年停止了木材主伐生产,森林经营由以木材生产为主,向以发挥森林生态功能为主的方向转变。本文通过分析该局森林资源现状、管理方式的变迁、经营思路的转变,以提高森林资源质量,改变林分结构,恢复原有植被群落为方向,探讨了森林经营中的采伐方式,以实现森林资源的稳定增长和可持续发展的目标。     

A forest optimisation model including carbon flows: Application to a forest in Norway

We analyse which management to choose in order to increase the carbon benefit from the 1.342 million ha forest area in Hedmark County, Norway, and the cost of doing this compared to traditional profit maximising behaviour. The model used in the analysis is a dynamic forest management optimisation model which includes the main carbon flows and benefits from the forest area: tree growth and mortality, litter accumulation, decomposition of dead wood and harvest residues, soil processes, end-use of wood products, and saved greenhouse gas emissions from using wood products instead of more energy intensive materials and fossil fuels.     

海南桉树引种种植成功经验

海南种植桉树对国家、集体、个人、企业都有利益,有许多功绩。海南引种种植桉树88年历史,海南生态环境仍然保持良好生态环境,仍然成为世界人居好环境。海南种植桉树为海南经济发展,保护好天然林,保护好环境,保护好橡胶林,促进平原绿化,增加海南森林覆盖率,丰富森林资源,在短时间内为社会提供大量的木材和薪炭材,保持林业可持续发展,起到非常重要作用。海南种植桉树具有生态效益,社会效益,经济效益。但我们发展桉树同时必须讲究科学规划,适地适树,选用良种,讲究科学种植、合理密度、科学管理,科学施肥,桉树一定能获得高产,又有良好的生态效益。但不能盲目经营,绝不能砍伐天然林,次生林来种植桉树,海南人民有能力把桉树产业这篇文章做得更好。     

杨柳流域社区参与式森林经营调查分析

社区参与式森林经营是近10年来尝试采用的一种新的森林经营发展模式.本文在对杨柳流域社区森林经营调查的基础上,分析了社区参与式森林经营的现状及存在的问题,提出了加强参与式森林经营的建议和措施.     

Landowner-Driven Sustainable Forest Management and Value-Added Processing

Summary

The Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative, LLC (MWC) is working to help members conduct sustainable forestry of the highest standards while increasing financial returns from harvest activities. The forests of Massachusetts, the third most densely populated state in the United States, are threatened. Decades of high grading and the threat of forest conversion to alternative use present challenges for maintaining a forested landscape. Despite being 60% forested, Massachusetts imports approximately 98% of the wood fiber that its citizens consume.

The Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative is a forest management, processing, and marketing cooperative organized by and on behalf of forest landowners in western Massachusetts. An umbrella group certification protocol was developed to provide cost-effective forestland management certification. Members benefit from cooperative management of harvest operations, above-market stumpage payments, and value-added processing and production including marketing traditionally low-value and small-diameter material. The added revenue from developing these new markets is used to fund timber, wildlife habitat, recreation, and other sustainable forest management activities. The cooperative works in partnership with local wood-processing businesses to spur community economic development. This study on cooperatives may be a successful example of sustainable forest management that can be applied in other regions with private land ownerships.     

中国台湾地区社区林业计划执行过程及内容

社区林业是一种社区总体营造理念与操作方式,鼓励社区主动提出计划与林务单位共同合作,在整个计划执行过程中充分与公众沟通并达成共识,与社区公众及组织形成伙伴关系,共同维护生物多样性及发挥环境资源的生态系统服务价值,达到森林永续经营的目标,并能有效改善所在社区的经济与环境状况,特别是与原住民部落的关系。文中以中国台湾"林务局"编定的8个"林区管理处"2011-2020年森林经营计划书为基础,分析台湾地区社区林业计划的内容,包括"推动社区林业及伙伴关系的建立""雇用原住民及与原住民社区合作共同巡护措施""原住民传统领域森林产物采取"及"森林游乐区公共参与及伙伴关系"等4个议题,以期总结台湾社区林业经营规划的过程、内容及进展,供专家学者进行社区林业相关计划编制或研究时参考。     

Community Forestry in the State of Uttarakhand,India: Not Meeting the Needs of the Villagers

This community forestry case study examines village forest councils (van panchayat) in India’s northern state of Uttarakhand. We describe forest stocking levels of 20 community forests and address the question of whether these forests are in a position to provide commodity resources, such as fuelwood and fodder, on a sustainable basis. In addition, we report on the perceptions of the villagers on whether their respective community forest is meeting their fuelwood and fodder needs. At the biophysical level, none of the community forests were in a position to provide fuelwood and fodder on a sustainable basis. Most forests did not have adequate overstory stocking, and there was no evidence of deliberate management to improve the situation. Interviews with 400 villagers (20 in each village) supported the field findings. Villagers unanimously reported that their respective community forest was inadequate in supplying commodity needs. Furthermore, they wished the Forest Department would provide more technical and financial assistance to guide them with forest management needs. Women are a critical part of community forestry as they are the primary gatherers of fuelwood and fodder. Although the perceptions of women toward forest management issues are important, our interviews with female villagers indicate they play a passive role in decision-making. Decentralization in natural resources management sounds good at the theoretical level as it provides villagers with some authority and autonomy, but it cannot be effectively implemented without professional guidance coupled with resources. The villagers are ready and willing to improve the situation, but they do not have the resources to make change unilaterally—they need professional and financial support from the Forest Department.     

Can community forestry contribute to household income and sustainable forestry practices in rural area? A case study from Tshapey and Zariphensum in Bhutan

Community forestry is an emerging success model of state–community partnership for forest management and poverty reduction. Bhutan's initial experience of forest management by user group is promising, but merits further study on how community forests have experienced with harvesting and income generation consistent with national forest policy. This study quantifies whether community forestry contribute to household income with equitable products and income distribution and gender inclusive participation; and community forests are managed applying the principles of sustainable harvest without compromising regeneration and productivity. We applied a combination of social and ecological methods using household interview and forest sampling plots. Our findings revealed that community forestry contributes to household income through harvesting and marketing of large trees, and non-wood forest products where markets are accessible. Household income, however, vary widely between rich and poor households with former capitalizing on commercial and latter on subsistence products. Timber harvesting is consistent with the principles of sustainable harvest without altering species composition, regeneration and productivity. To narrow income inequality, pro-poor approach to community forestry needs to target poor households with income diversification activities and market accessibility. The promising results are context-driven and warrant consolidation from other community forests experiencing harvest in Bhutan.     

Optimizing management of goats and oak trees for sustainability and community's welfare: a case study from Zagros,Iran

A deterministic dynamic bio-economic model was used to analyse different management options for goats and charcoal production in a forest in Zagros, Iran. The study sought optimal management options from a local community point of view considering net present value (NPV) of income from sale of goats and charcoal under different restrictions on forest harvest imposed by the state. The model was run under six model scenarios: (1) business as usual (BAU), (2) no state intervention, (3) no forest harvesting, (4) strict quota, (5) medium quota and (6) loose quota on charcoal production. The scenarios' results were compared based on four numeric criteria (NPV of income from goats and charcoal, development of standing volume and tree size diversity in forest, interaction between goat population and oak forests) and one subjective criterion (state budget for managing forest). The results indicated that two main challenges exist in forest management in Zagros; (1) to determine the balance between local communities' welfare and biological stability of the forest and (2) to choose between a cheap management regime prohibiting wood harvest but implicitly accepting some illegal charcoal production and a more expensive, but legal, harvest regulation through charcoal production quota. We conclude that the BAU scenario, where forest harvesting was prohibited de jure, but some illegal charcoal production was still undertaken, was the only viable management, which also is practically acceptable by both state and local communities.     

荒山定向经营技术研究

在开化县进行了薪炭林造林树种选择、营林技术及芒秆定向经营技术研究.结果表明:开化县适合薪炭林造林的优良树种是湿地松、马尾松和火炬松,一般树种有小叶栎、南酸枣、麻栎等;芒秆砍伐后全部平茬的产量最高,其次是砍伐后火烧,最低的是原始经营,芒秆山经营方式以平茬最好.     

The sustainability of selection cutting in a late successional broadleaved community forest in Bhutan

This study assessed the sustainability of selection cutting in a community forest (CF) in Bhutan. The harvesting approach differed from cable crane logging operations in an adjacent commercially managed forest by creating much smaller canopy openings. This had many implications for natural regeneration of preferred species. The study was conducted in a late successional broadleaved CF containing 32 genera of tree species dominated by Quercus and Castanopsis and managed for timber, firewood, non-wood forest products and forest grazing. The study was based on a comparison of two forest inventories to assess forest structure and regeneration, a study of stumps to quantify harvesting intensities, and a household survey to quantify livestock holdings and grazing patterns. The study examined different intensities of selection cutting in three blocks of the CF and found that higher intensities of selection cutting did not have a negative impact on: (a) natural regeneration of seedlings and saplings of preferred timber species; (b) the diameter distribution of all species and use categories except for Quercus; (c) the diversity of tree genera; and (d) the percentage of remaining trees with favorable bole shape and form. These results contrasted with findings in the adjacent commercially managed forest. Community management of broadleaved forests with selection cutting appeared to be sustainable and avoid some of the unresolved silvicultural problems associated with commercially managed forests in Bhutan. However more research is needed on the sustainable management of Quercus spp.     

林业减排增汇机制对中国多功能森林经营的影响与启示

随着社会经济的发展, 人们对林业提出了更高层次的、更为多元化的要求, 多功能森林经营应运而生。在全球气候变化背景下, 国际社会对林业减排增汇潜力越来越关注和重视, 由此产生的林业减排增汇机制对我国多功能森林经营的开展将产生巨大影响。文中对林业减排增汇机制和多功能森林经营的关系及其可能产生的潜在影响进行了分析, 提出了林业减排增汇计划的实施对我国开展多功能森林经营的一些有益启示。