The field team will seldom arrive directly at the sample site (tract) itself, but more likely where the road ends or at the closest village or settlement. Depending on the difficulty of finding the site, different tools can be used such as maps, compass and GPS (Geographic Positioning System) to arrive at the sample site. Many logistics will preferably be solved ahead of time by a pre-visit, and or collaboration with local organizations and local foresters who can contact local communities, forest owners facilitating the start of the fieldwork.
The person(s) to be contacted when arriving for the first time close to the site, if there are inhabitants, may be a village representative, the closest forest office or local forest dwellers. A forest owner may or may not live locally in the area. In most cases it will be necessary to meet with the local population, community or forest owner before entering into the forest.
If there is a population living close to the area, the first thing to do is to briefly introduce the team and explain the purpose of the visit and study. It will be useful to have the sample site marked on a map or an aerial photo for the purpose of discussions. It is important to have a mutual understanding about the area to be studied. After a general introduction, issues of access and logistics can be discussed.
An important outcome of the first meeting is to introduce the study and resolve logistical matters of access to forest, scheduling interviewes, food and lodging. Objectives of the fieldwork must be clearly presented in order to avoid misunderstanding and raise false expectations. Local collaboration and support is important and is best acheived by giving a first good impression. However, it should be emphasised that the exercise is data collection and not a local development project.
The first meeting is an opportunity to start the interview data collection. The number of persons in the field team should be kept down so that the interviewers do not dominate the group. Good starting points for the discussions are historic information and changes (see participatory aerial photograph exercise).
Finally, the fieldwork program to take place during the subsequent days should be explained. In addition, it might be a good opportunity to identify other key-informants and focus groups. Creating a schedule for interviews that fits with the daily work-schedule of the people is recommended.
Compensating for interviews is left to the discretion of the national team and local customs. It is closely linked to the question of what the GFS is for local people.
A common mistake in interview situations is to promise respondents that they will achieve tangible profits from co-operation. Never promise anything that cannot come true. As a general rule explain that the best effort you can make is to relay a true picture of the situation that you encounter during the study. The fieldteams’ task is to let the outside world know about local uses and importance of forest resources, and at best the decision-makers will be better informed about the issues of forest resources.
Communities may complain that they are often visited by people asking information and that they never hear anything afterwards, even in cases when they were promised this. Depending on the arrangements between survey staff and local foresters etc., there should be a way of providing this information back. In cases where little organisational facilitaties exist, an explanation can be given on how the information might be accessed at a regional planning office/forest office.
Box 1. Summary points for GFS Community Presentation.
Key-points for the GFS Community Presentation: • This study (called the Global Forest Survey) collects data from forests over the whole world • An aim of the GFS it to support national training in forest inventories and data collection on on forest use by interacting with the local forest users. • The data collected is from two sources: 1. Forest measurement, and 2. Interviewing forest users. Examples of forest measurements are tree diameter, height and species composition. The field team also recognizes the local perception on forest changes, important forest products, and forest problems and will therefore interview forest users. • The outside world has little information about the local uses of forest, and the problems that there might be at local level. The information obtained is for the country and for the international community. The purpose is to generate correct information that can lead to improved forest policies that will take into account; people’s realities and needs. Hopefully this can lead to forest resources being managed in a sound and sustainable way. • This location is one of a number (x) of sample points distributed over the country in a systematic pattern. • [The GFS is not a traditional community project. However, knowledge and awareness will be exchanged.] • The results from the study from this locality will be shared with the community. • Some of the X sample points studied in the country will be monitored in the future. |
