Utilization and Management of Forest Resource by Local People: A Case Study of Nam Et-Phoulouey National Conservation Forest Houaphanh Province, Lao People's Democratic Republic

Abstract

This research aimed to assess forest resource utilization of local people who live in the Num Et–Phoulouey National Conservation Forest Houaphanh Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic.  Heads of 168 sample households were interviewed using a questionnaire. Data was analyzed using a computer program for social science. The analytical statistics included frequency, percentages, mean, standard deviation and Chi-square with statistical significance level of 0.05.

The respondents consisted of mostly men with an average age of 40 years.  More than a half completed lower than high school level, including of some who had never been to school. Almost of them (99.4%) used to participate in a training program on forest resource conservation. Their knowledge’s on conservation was high (average score 0.86), but on the forest law was less (average score 0.28). Each household comprised on average 7 members with 4 labor forces.  They hold about 16 rai of land and used it for crop cultivation. Their average annual income was 34,254 baht/household, and annual expenditure was 22,836 baht/household.  The results revealed that all of the sample households collected various forest products for their living. Most of the products they collected was used mainly for household consumption such as fuel wood for cooking and heater; bamboo for general purposes; bamboo shoot, wild vegetable, wild fruit, wild animal and mushroom for food; and medicinal plant for health care. In addition, they collected broom grass and wild orchid for income generation. More than 80% of the respondents benefited from those products except edible insect and medicinal plant which the user groups were lessen.  Quantities of forest products’ usage were diverse among the households’ samples. On average about 11 m³ of fuel wood and 78 bamboo culms were used annually by each household. Other products namely broom grass, wild orchid, mushroom, bamboo shoot, wild vegetable, wild fruit, wild animal, edible insect and medicinal plant were used by each household at 100, 56, 47, 74, 51, 39, 89, 22 and 8 kg/year, respectively.  The socio-economic factors of the respondents influencing their forest dependency (utilization) were variable. Education level of the respondents, number of household’s member and labor force influenced a wider range of forest products they collected.  Occupation of the respondents influenced the usage of wild orchid, whereas knowledge on forest conservation influenced usage of the edible insect.

Though the respondents perceived that utilization some forest products such as broom grass, mushroom and wild animal was implied in the communities’ rules. Collecting of wild orchid was strictly prohibited by the forest law. However, certain management for forest products’ utilization was unclear.  Local people mostly practiced accordingly by the indigenous knowledge. Seemingly, under their perception on the impacts of shifting cultivation, expansion of cultivate land and involving in forest fire ignition the forest tends to be deteriorated continuously. Thus, they should be educated on proper knowledge and understanding on forest resource conservation.  As for the knowledge and understanding about the forest law, they should be informed and clarified about trespass and claim forest area for shifting cultivation as well.

Keywords: forest product, utilization, management, local people, Lao PDR