Extraction Of Non-timber Forest Products Research Articles

The Hidden Treasures of the Forest: Promoting Forest Conservation through Non-Timber Forest Products in the Eastern Himalayan Region

The study examined the impact of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) on forest conservation by local communities in the study areas. Surveying 250 respondents from 20 villages, a good number of plant and animal-based NTFPs were identified in the states of Meghalaya and Nagaland. The Binary Logistic Regression Model confirmed that income from NTFPs had a positive and significant influence on four forest conservation models in Meghalaya and three forest conservation models in Nagaland. It implied that the extraction of NTFPs can serve as a vital incentive for sustainable forest management. The policy recommendations include supporting NTFP-based livelihoods to enhance community engagement in conservation efforts through local conservation bodies and traditional institutions, including the state forest department.

Challenges for a Brazilian Amazonian bioeconomy based on forest foods

The creation of a forest bioeconomy based on the extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFP) is being recommended to create wealth from standing forests and halt deforestation in Amazonia. Current proposals do not recognize the limits of this system, nor the impacts of capitalism that drive NTFPs with elastic demand into monoculture plantations. We use a narrative review to revisit the history of these ideas and examine public policies. Among 2,253 Amazonian NTFPs, 1,037 produce edible fruits and 131 of these are extremely abundant (hyperdominant) across the biome and common in the extractive economy. Low productivity per hectare in the forest, low return on labor to harvest the production, and scarcity of labor are three critical limits to expanding supply, with the last being the most critical in forest areas. Overcoming these limitations requires changes in public policies and public investment for health care, communication, logistics, and especially for quality education designed for rural areas and a forest bioeconomy. A mix of public policies to alleviate market failures and increase supply, efficiency, and demand via R&D, minimum prices, payment for environmental services, distinct types of certifications may be able to make food NTFP harvesting, processing, and commercialization lucrative enough to halt rural exodus and keep forest specialists in standing forests. An Amazonian forest bioeconomy depends upon both social and biodiversity, and the full participation and collaboration of Indigenous People and local communities in developing these value chains that can contribute to food security.

Environmental Policy Influencing the Contribution of Non-Timber Forest Products to Rural Livelihoods: Case Studies from Himachal Pradesh, India.

Lack of comprehension of the complexity of the elements that determine the contribution of NTFPs to local lives frequently hinders discussions about the role of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in efforts to balance the aims of forest conservation and rural development. The districts of Kangra, Sirmour, and Mandi in Himachal Pradesh State in India are three case studies where NTFPs are significant, and this study highlights that the effect of environmental policies, socio-cultural background, and economic status of the people on the extraction of the NTFPs. The study also demonstrates the importance of paying close attention to the socio-cultural diversity of resource users, as well as the value chain structure, and access to and control over resources, all of which have an impact on the chances for locals to profit from NTFP extraction. The rural livelihoods still rely upon the fuelwood and fodder from forests and there is a lack of knowledge and education to understand the policies and schemes related to forests and NTFPs.

Forest Fire Prediction using Deep Learning

Wildfire prediction is an essential component of wildfire management. Accurate fire prediction is critical to mitigating its effects. It plays an important role in resource allocation, mitigation, and recovery. Wildfires rob the natural world of life and destroy the land they live on. Building forecast models will allow authorities to estimate the long-term effects of climate change on local forest distribution. Human motives include clearing and other agricultural activities, grassland care for livestock, extraction of non-timber forest products, industrial development, resettlement, hunting, neglect, and arson. Lightning strikes are the main cause of fires only in very remote areas of Canada and the Russian Federation. These wildfires are often man-made or caused by mother nature through varying weather conditions and wind. Wildfires economic and environmental impacts of wildfires are significant, and predictions can prevent long-term damage to sensitive forest ecosystems.

Socio- economic Factors Determining Extraction of Non-timber Forest Products in the Jammu Region of Jammu and Kashmir

Socio- economic Factors Determining Extraction of Non-timber Forest Products in the Jammu Region of Jammu and Kashmir

Potential of NTFP Based Bioeconomy in Livelihood Security and Income Inequality Mitigation in Kashmir Himalayas

The contribution of non timber forest products (NTFPs) has been acknowledged globally for their role in conservation, income generation, livelihood improvement and rural development. The potential of a NTFP-based bioeconomy has given a new dimension to the forest sector, and NTFPs are now considered favourably by the resource rich developing economies. The actual contribution of NTFPs has never been adequately estimated due to lack of sufficient baseline information on extraction, consumption patterns and traded quantities in Kashmir, India. Complicated management frameworks and fragmented value chains have eclipsed their diverse social life cycle in Kashmir. Therefore the present study investigates the bioeconomic transformation, livelihood contribution, income inequality mitigation and determinant socioeconomic factors of NTFP extraction in the Kashmir Himalayas. A multistage random sampling technique was employed to collect data through participatory household-based surveys from different villages. Data were collected through structured in-depth interviews, non-participant observation and focussed group discussions. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used for data analysis. The Lorenz curve and Gini index were used to evaluate the influence of household NTFP incomes on income inequality mitigation, and econometric models were developed to identify key factors that influence the level of household income from NTFPs to determine their potential for supporting livelihood security and bioeconomy in the region.

Stadiochilus R. M. Sm. (Zingiberaceae: Zingibereae), a new generic record for India

The monotypic ginger genus Stadiochilus R. M. Sm. with S. burmanicus R. M. Sm. earlier known from Myanmar is reported here as a new record for India from the state of Nagaland. A detailed taxonomic description along with photographic illustrations of S. burmanicus is given. For conservation purposes, the IUCN status of this species has been evaluated as Endangered. The present field study ascertained that extraction of timber and non-timber forest products, forest fires and shifting cultivation are the major threats to the species in the locality in Nagaland reported here.

Socio-Economic Impacts of Livelihood from Fuelwood and Timber Consumption on the Sustainability of Forest Environment: Evidence from Basho Valley, Baltistan, Pakistan

Forests across the world are considered to be a huge socio-economic and environmental benefit to host and adjacent communities. This study focuses on assessing the impacts of fuelwood and timber consumption on the livelihood of households in the Baltistan region in Pakistan. Primary and secondary sources of data were employed for the study. The primary sources involved the use of questionnaire survey and interview while the secondary sources involved the use of documented information in textbooks and internet materials. The study revealed that 82% of the people within the region were involved in agricultural activities, 71% depended on the extraction of forest resources for their livelihood, while 18% depended on off-farm activities for their livelihood. The study also observed that among the number that depended on forest resources for their livelihood, 59% were involved in the extraction of non-timber forest products while 41% were involved in the extraction of timber forest resources. The study further revealed that there was no significant difference in the level of benefits from the forest across the seven districts under investigation with a chi square value. The volume of forest products extraction was found to be high closest to the forest and to be low with increasing distance from the communities. The major benefits from the forest range were due to employment that increases the individual and family income. Forest also helps to control erosion and enhances aesthetic beautification and temperature regulation. The research suggests that the policy makers must provide a sustainable solution to reduce the overexploitation of the forest resources by providing better alternative earning resources to the resident communities.

Non-Timber Forest Products and the Cosmetic Industry: An Econometric Assessment of Contributions to Income in the Brazilian Amazon

This study explores Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) production and company–community partnerships with the multinational cosmetic industry. The objectives are to critically assess: (1) how income generated from market-oriented NTFPs extraction impacts small farmers’ livelihoods; and (2) whether membership in cooperatives linked to such partnerships is a factor in improved livelihood. Household-level data from 282 surveys conducted in remote communities in four municipalities in the Northeast region of the State of Pará provide empirical insight into NTFPs extraction and processing activities by smallholder farmers in the Brazilian Amazon. We employ a spatial econometric approach to assess if engagement in NTFPs extraction and membership in cooperatives result in statistically significant increases in the overall household income. A series of spatial regression models are used, including Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Spatial Autoregressive Regression (SAR), Spatial Error Model (SEM), Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) and their corresponding alternative Bayesian models. Our study finds that NTFP extraction and membership in cooperatives tied to company–community partnerships are statistically significant and result in increases in total income at the household level. Findings also show that distance to transportation modes and markets are statistically significant with more distant households earning greater income. This finding presents challenges for the long-term sustainability of green alternatives to development that rely on remote, inaccessible environments for the commodities of interest. This is especially pronounced given the commitment of the Amazonian Nations, and the massive national and international investments, in the Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA), which has as its goal the creation of a multimodal transportation hub to integrate the continent with global markets and make accessible far reaches of the Amazon.

Drivers and mechanisms of forest change in the Himalayas

Mountains are critical ecosystems that have a strong influence far beyond their topographic boundaries. More than 50 million people inhabit the Himalayas, and more than one billion people depend on the ecosystem services they provide. Anthropogenic activities have driven concurrent deforestation and regeneration in the Himalayas, and interventions to reduce forest loss and promote forest recovery require a synthetic understanding of the complex and interacting drivers of forest change. We conducted a systematic review of case studies from 1984 to 2020 (n = 137) and combined a system dynamics approach with a causal network analysis to identify, map and articulate the relationships between the drivers, actors and mechanisms of forest change across the entirety of the Himalayan mountain range. In total, the analysis revealed five proximate drivers, 12 underlying drivers, two institutional factors and five ‘other’ factors connected by a total of 221 linkages. Forest change dynamics have been dominated by widespread smallholder agriculture, extensive non-timber forest product extraction, widespread commercial and non-commercial timber extraction, and high rates of agricultural abandonment. Underlying drivers include population growth, poor agricultural productivity, international support for development projects, and successful community forest management systems. Contradictory linkages emerge from a combination of contextual factors, which can have negative impacts on conservation goals. Global processes such as shifts in governance, transnational infrastructure-development programs, economic slowdowns, labor migrations and climate change threaten to destabilize established dynamics and change forest trajectories. The underlying and proximate drivers interact through multiple pathways that can be utilized to achieve conservation goals. Based on this analysis, we highlight five thematic focus areas to curtail forest loss and promote recovery: (1) decreasing the population pressure, (2) sustainable increase of agricultural productivity, (3) strengthening of forest management institutions, (4) leveraging tourism growth and sustainable infrastructure expansion, and (5) fuel transition and establishing firewood plantations on degraded land. The broader adoption of systems thinking, and specifically a system dynamics approach and causal network analysis, will greatly enhance the rigour of policy development, help design site-specific interventions at multiple spatial scales which can respond to local and global changes, and guide deeper inquiry to enhance our understanding of driver-forest dynamics.

Collection and Processing of Non-timber Forest Products in North Eastern Pakistan of Azad Jammu and Kashmir: An Empirical Study

Himalayan region has diversity of Non-Timber Forest Products and is considered as biodiversity hotspot. Current research is baseline study providing information on extraction and processing of Non-Timber Forest Products especially medicinal plants in North Eastern Pakistan of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 60 respondents (local collectors) were selected based on snowball sampling procedure. Results revealed that income generation remained the prime reason for collection of Non-Timber Forest Products in both regions and collectors have to travel up to 4-6km for collection. Most (i.e.,91%) of the respondents collected Non-Timber Forest Products for medicinal reasons in Bagh District whereas vegetable collection (i.e.,86%) is the prime reason for collection in Neelam valley. Non-Timber Forest Products are mostly collected manually during summer for 6-10 hours with frequency of 1-3 times in a season. It was also observed that most of the respondents in Bagh district opted for sun drying whereas sun and shade drying remained a preference of respondents in Neelam valley. It was concluded that a public-private partnership is inevitable for sustainable harvesting, processing and marketing of Non-Timber Forest Products in the region.

Socioeconomic Factors Determining Extraction of Non-timber Forest Products on the Slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) from natural forests in sub-Saharan Africa provide significant benefits to rural communities. In this study conducted on the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, we assumed that the extraction of NTFPs by local communities is related to sex, income, age, household size, and distance from the forest. We interviewed 313 household heads from six villages. We employed a logistic regression with a logit link to test the significance among the variables. Younger females of larger households with lower income and less cultivated land cut fodder and collected firewood more frequently than other villagers. Firewood collection frequency decreased with increasing distance from village to forest whereas fodder collection frequency increased. Men collected medicinal plants more frequently than younger women and if the distance from the village was greater. For firewood and fodder extraction, inter-village variation was greater than intra-village variation, suggesting that differences in access to infrastructure and alternative fodder sites also strongly determined NTFP extraction. Our results contribute to a better targeted participatory forest management.

Contribution of Non-Timber Forest Product Valorisation to the Livelihood Assets of Local People in the Northern Periphery of the Dja Faunal Reserve, East Cameroon

A large community of scientists has demonstrated that millions of people located in tropical zones derive a significant proportion of their livelihoods from the extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Despite these results, questions remain as to whether the valorisation of NTFPs can sustainably contribute to the improvement of the livelihood assets of the extractors. This study therefore evaluated the contribution of NTFP valorisation to the livelihood assets of local people around the northern periphery of the Dja Faunal Reserve (DFR), East Cameroon. To achieve this objective, data collected from 215 households in 32 villages were analyzed using factor analysis, Mann–Whitney U tests, and structural equation modelling. The results suggest that NTFP valorisation significantly contributes to the livelihood assets of local people at the periphery of the DFR. However, NTFP revenue was not significant in predicting their livelihood assets. Moreover, the local conservation management practices were not significant in predicting the livelihood assets in the long run. The results also revealed that individuals who received training and capacity building on good practices such as efficient collection techniques, effective drying techniques, and good conservation techniques earned better revenues and the impact on their livelihood was more significant than for those who did not. These results therefore recommend that the way forward for NTFP valorisation lies at the level of improving its quality and the market.

Post-agricultural succession in the fallow swiddens of Southeastern Brazil

Agricultural practices have been occurring for centuries in the Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest, which contains one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. The communities that still practice traditional shifting agriculture are constrained by legal, economic and social factors, which makes the practice of itinerant agriculture a complex dynamic process. The long-term effect of repeated, long-fallow shifting cultivation on plant communities in secondary forest fallows of various age and slash-and-burn history was examined in a quilombola village in Southeastern Brazil. We carried out vegetation surveys in 12 sites, ten in areas of shifting cultivation and two in secondary forests formed after natural disturbances. We chose three age groups for sampling, i.e., post-harvest fallow or post-disruption times for natural areas. The fallow period after cultivation ensures the continuous recovery of the composition and structure of vegetation, but even after five decades the alpha and beta diversities had not reached the values observed in mature forests. The number of species and basal area increased over time but the differences between areas in the same age group were as large as between age groups. The two disturbed natural areas had lower richness than the fallow swiddens of the same age. The data suggest that the intensive extraction of non-timber forest products to supply the market, and therefore extraneous to traditional activity, has negatively affected the sustainability of the system. Actions to recover stocks of these forest products together with integrated management and input of resources can maintain the sustainability of the system.

Produtos florestais não madeireiros e valoração ambiental da Floresta Nacional de Pacotuba, ES

Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o potencial para extração de produtos florestais não madeireiros (PFNMs) e a valoração ambiental pela disposição a receber dos moradores da zona de amortecimento da Floresta Nacional (FLONA) de Pacotuba, estado do Espírito Santo. Foram aplicados formulários em uma amostra de 78 famílias, na comunidade de Monte Alegre, localizada na zona de amortecimento da FLONA de Pacotuba, para o levantamento etnobotânico de PFNMs e a disposição a receber para manter a cobertura florestal. O mapeamento do uso do solo da FLONA do Pacotuba e da zona de amortecimento foram obtidos por meio de uma imagem Landsat. Foi utilizado o método de valoração contingente por meio dos formulários, para estimar a disposição a receber para manter a cobertura florestal. Na FLONA de Pacotuba existe potencial para produzir PFNMs, com uma oferta principalmente para fins medicinais e ecológicos. O uso do solo demonstra que a FLONA do Pacotuba apresenta um alto percentual de cobertura florestal, no entanto a zona de amortecimento está com alto percentual de pastagem e uso do solo antrópico, sendo o pagamento por serviços ambientais (PSA) uma alternativa para aumentar a cobertura florestal na zona de amortecimento. A disposição a receber para manter a cobertura florestal dos proprietários na zona de amortecimento e na FLONA foi maior do que o PSA do estado do Espírito Santo, o que dificulta a adoção de um programa de pagamentos por serviços ambientais. O PSA do Espírito Santo, por meio do programa Reflorestar, associado ao manejo de PFNMs, principalmente medicinais e ecológicos, seriam alternativas para geração de renda e preservação da cobertura florestal.

Livelihood Dependency on Non-Timber Forest Products: Implications for REDD+

Deforestation and forest degradation are occurring continuously and posing serious threats to forests and people worldwide. In Myanmar, poor regulation and unsustainable extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) is affecting millions of hectares of natural forests; overexploitation of forest resources is one of the main drivers of forest degradation. Although evidence shows that the extraction of NTFPs results in forest degradation, there have been few studies on what drives rural people to depend on NTFPs and how to address these drivers in terms of policies and measures. Policies and measures are nationally enacted policies and actions that countries undertake to address the causes of deforestation and forest degradation. This study identifies which factors determine the dependence on NTFPs in forest-dependent communities. From these factors, we derived policy implications for the main causes of overexploitation of NTFPs to provide suggestions for developing policies and measures in the design of national Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) strategies. Focusing on the Taungoo District as a case of dependence on NTFPs by local communities, we conducted a qualitative and quantitative data collection procedure based on interviewing households in the local communities. NTFPs contributed the most to total household income and the main types of NTFPs exploited were charcoal making and bamboo selling. Households with lower education level, less agricultural land, less income from off-farm activities, lived under the poverty line or used only charcoal were more dependent on NTFPs in the study areas. Poverty and fuelwood usage were factors affecting NTFPs dependence for landowners while rice insufficiency, off-farm income and fuelwood usage most affected the NTFPs dependence for landless people. The results suggested that national strategies for REDD+ should take into account local features such as income opportunities and land tenure in order to make local people cooperate with the government to avoid deforestation and forest degradation.

The Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve: trajectories of agro-extractive development in Amazonia

The Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve (CMER) located in Acre, Brazil in the southwest Amazon is a powerful symbol of the rubber tapper social movement. Created in 1990, the Reserve is named after rubber tapper and union leader Francisco “Chico” Mendes, who was assassinated by ranchers in 1988. The concept of the extractive reserve, a type of sustainable-use protected area, was conceived by rubber tappers to secure land rights and to protect the forests from which they derived their livelihoods. Thirty years since its creation, non-timber forest product (NTFP) extraction maintains a critical role in CMER resident livelihoods, but it is now one of multiple and dynamic trajectories of income generating activities in the CMER. The state government has promoted sustainable development policies aimed at productive and multiple use of forests, including community-based timber management (CBTM). Concomitantly, the scale and scope of small-scale cattle ranching reflecting a growing “cowboy culture” pervasive in Eastern Acre is growing. These forces have brought sociocultural changes to the reserve as CMER residents engage these intertwined trajectories to improve their livelihoods. This article explores the trajectories of multiple development strategies in the CMER. We do this by revisiting and expanding on the principal themes of research of the co-authors – NTFP extraction, cattle ranching, and CBTM. Increasingly diverse CMER households demand multiple pathways to improve livelihoods, and these trajectories have created new economic opportunities for reserve residents. Although the NTFP sector has experienced some success in market development and valued-added initiatives, investments have not produced a sustainable and diversified extractive sector. Cattle ranching and CBTM have provided economic benefits to reserve residents’ livelihoods, but they have also created internal tensions across the social movement and governments agencies. A strategic vision is required that brings diverse government, non-government and reserve residents together and articulates how these dynamic, linked, and sometimes conflicting trajectories can synergize within a balanced, diversified livelihood framework to ensure long-term sustainability of the CMER.

English

Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) constitute an important source of livelihood for millions of people from forest fringe communities across the world. This study was conducted to identify main NTFPs used by local communities around Nyanganje Forest Reserve (NFR) which is within the Eastern Arc Mountains in Kilombero district, Tanzania. Furthermore, the study aimed at determining socio-economic factors influencing extraction of NTFPs in the study area. The study involved questionnaire survey in Signali, Sagamaganga and Lungongole villages which surround NFR. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) whereby inferential analysis was applied to show the relationship between NTFPs collected and socio-economic factors while Chi square test (c2) was used to determine the significance in dependency of certain socio-economic factors on extraction and use of NTFPs in the study area. It was observed that, socio-economic factors such as income level, education level, age distribution, household size, occupation, distance, and residence duration influenced the extraction and use of NTFPs by local communities in the study area. It was however recommended that, for sustainability of the NTFPs in NFR, the government has to initiate and emphasize the extraction and utilization of NTFPs resources in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. Key words: Extraction, Nyanganje Forest Reserve, socio-economic factors.

Status and conservation of the snow leopard Panthera uncia in Api Nampa Conservation Area, Nepal

AbstractThe snow leopard Panthera uncia is globally threatened and reliable information on its abundance, distribution and prey species is a prerequisite for its conservation. In October–November 2014 we assessed the distribution of the snow leopard in the recently established Api Nampa Conservation Area in the Nepal Himalayas. Within selected blocks we conducted sign surveys and counted the number of bharal Pseudois nayaur, its principal wild prey, along transects totalling 106 km. We recorded 203 putative snow leopard signs at an encounter rate of 1.91 signs/km. Generalized linear models of the number of signs detected per transect showed that elevation had a positive influence and human activities a negative influence on sign encounter rate; prey abundance had only a weak positive influence on sign encounter rate. Within the effectively surveyed area of c. 200 km2, we counted 527 bharal at an estimated density of 2.28 animals/km2. Recruitment of bharal was low, estimated at 48 kids/100 adult females, most likely a result of poor or overgrazed rangeland. We estimate the total number of bharal in this conservation area to be > 1,000, a prey base that could sustain 6–9 snow leopards. Based on our field observations, we identified human disturbance and habitat degradation associated with extraction of non-timber forest products, livestock grazing, and poaching as the main threats to the snow leopard. Standardized sign surveys, preferably supplemented by sampling with remote cameras or with genetic analysis of scats would provide robust baseline information on the abundance of snow leopards in this conservation area.

The Role of Non-Timber Forest Products in Creating Incentives for Forest Conservation: A Case Study of Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary, Cambodia

The fundamental issue in this study is to confirm whether or not the extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) will encourage additional pro-conservation behavior from local people. This study clarifies three research questions as follows: what is the current activity of forest conservation in Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary?; does the extraction of NTFPs create incentives for forest conservation?; and how much value do NTFPs have for incentives for forest conservation activities? Fieldworks were conducted in September 2015, March and April 2016, March 2017 in Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary: participatory rural appraisals, key informant interviews, and structured questionnaire interviews with 288 households were randomly selected. Though this study confirmed that extraction of NTFPs is generally seen as the most positive influenced factors for local people’s participation towards forest conservation. Additionally, this study found that the annual value of NTFPs as incentives for forest conservation was around US$0.95/ha or US$95/km2 in Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary, Cambodia.