In this section the variables are listed in alphabetical order. They are not supposed to be used in this order. Neither are the variables listed according to tract, stand nor plot, nor to whether they are biophysical or socio-economic. In addition some comments are added below the variables and are meant to be useful for reflection when preparing for the interviews.
Explanation: The canopy pattern of forest cover in the stand
Options: |
01 – Continuous canopy |
02- Discontinuous canopy with small gaps |
03 – Discontinuous canopy with large gaps and meadows |
Explanation: The projected crown cover in the stand as percentage of the total area in the plot
Options: |
01 - <10% |
02- 10-40% |
03 - 40-70% |
04 - >70% |
Explanation: The disturbance observed in the forest stand.
Options: |
01- Not disturbed (protected areas, all resources conserved) |
02- Slight disturbed (exploitation of products according to management plans) |
03- Moderately disturbed (Many products collected without conforming to management plans, notion of sustainability not respected) |
04- Heavily disturbed (Removal of products at rates higher than MAI, biodiversity degradation due to high pressure on selected species, encroachment of agriculture leading to high rate of deforestation) |
Explanation: Forest types will be classified according to national classes.
Options: |
01- Closed forest |
02- Open forest |
03- Long fallow |
04- Fragmented Forest |
05- Shrubs |
06- Short Fallow |
07- Cover |
08- Plantation |
09- Trees Outside Forest |
10- Other |
Land use of the stand. Saket redefine.
(THIS NEEDS ELABORATION PH 010129)-
Options: |
01 – Forest |
02- Shrubland |
03 – Grassland |
04 – Cropland |
05- Orchard |
06 – Roads |
07 – Highways |
08 – Resort Areas |
09 – Infrastructure |
10 – Water bodies |
11 – Rivers |
Explanation: Land use class 10 years ago for the stand.
Same land use classification as in Stand.LandUse applies.
Explanation: The canopy structure of the stand.
Options: |
01 – Single layer |
02- Two-layer vegetation |
03 – Three-layer vegetation |
04 – More than three layers |
Explanation: Records of burning should be made from inside the field plots and extend to surrounding areas. Only burning encountered within the plots or in the sample site are recorded.
Area that has been affected by burning
Options: |
01- < 1 ha |
02- 1 – 10 ha |
03- 10 – 25 ha |
04- > 25 ha |
Explanation: The approximate date of burning.
Options: |
Explanation: |
01- Nil |
No sign of burning |
02- Recent (same year) |
Refers to bush fires occurred during the same year of the survey. |
03- Years ago |
More than one year ago |
Explanation: Information on regeneration of the stand.
Options: |
01 - n.appl. (established stand) |
02 – Natural (seeds) |
03 – Plantation |
04 – Coppice |
...
Explanation: The dominant soil moisture type for the subplot
Options: |
Explanation: |
01- Dry |
|
02- Temporary Wet |
Refers to land inundated by water during the wet season and part of the dry season |
03- Permanently Wet |
Land with water all year around, such as swamps and mangroves, etc. |
Explanation: The typical soil texture measured at starting point of the subplot
Options: |
01- Coarse Sand: |
02- Light Sand: |
03- Light Clay: |
04- Heavy Clay: |
05- Silt: |
06- Silt & Sand: |
07- Pebbly Silt: |
08- Alluvium: |
09- other |
[Classifications from FAO/or national soil map]
Explanation: The origin of the stand on the sub-plot.
Options: |
01 – Natural seeding |
02- Planting / artificial seeding |
03 – Coppice |
04 - Mix of 01and 02 |
05 - Mix of 01and 03 |
06 - Mix of 02and 03 |
07 - Mix of 01and 02 and 03 |
Explanation: Establish type of (last) felling that has taken place in the stand. These are felling systems that depend on the management prescriptions set in accordance with the forest functions of production or conservation.
Options:
Options: |
01- No felling |
02- Clear felling |
03- Selective felling |
04- Group felling |
05- Strip felling |
06- Others |
Explanation: Damage includes total or partial loping of trees and other woody formations by wildlife species. This doesn’t include fruits loped and carried away by wildlife species. Percentage should be visual estimation by the team members.
Damage caused by the wildlife in the stand.
Options: |
1- Nil |
2- Low (<25% of trees affected) |
3- Medium (25-50%) |
4- Intense (50-75%) |
5- Widespread (>75%) |
Explanation: This variable explores the distance of the sample site to a road and other infrastructure. It provides a sense of how remote or not the sample site is.
Fill out all: |
km |
Distance from all weather road (where motorized transport can always access) |
|
Distance to closest settlement |
|
Distance to closest market |
Fill out both: |
Name of Administrative Unit (Municipality) |
Name of Local Area |
Explanation: The legal (formal) designation of forest might be different from ownership status.
Options: |
Examples: |
01- Conservation |
Conservation which allows some uses, such as collecting NWFPs. Recreation? |
02- Protection |
Stricly protection, and no extraction allowed. |
03- Community [communal] Forest, Village forest |
These might include different types of formal agreements or management plans such as communal stewardship agreement etc. |
04 Other |
To be worked on during fieldwork.
Explanation: The local population will identify the main ecological problems in the forest
Options: |
01- Insufficient knowledge to ascertain |
02- There is no ecological problem |
02- Water level in rivers, and water sources |
03- Drought |
04- Flood |
05- Water quality |
06- Soil fertility /Erosion (i.e. less yield) |
07- Fires |
08- Pests |
09- Other [describe] |
Considerations: Care must be taken when addressing this question because ecological functions and problems might not be considered a local issue, and therefore, the respondent might fabricate an answer in order to satisfy the interviewer.
Explanantion: Description of the source of livelihood and occupation of the majority of persons in the area surrounding the sample site. The term source of livelihood refers to what people do in order to cover their basic needs for food and shelter, for example, if the are self-sufficient farmers or if the have a job in the city.
Options: |
Explanation: |
01- urban/periurban |
Wage labour in a city or at an industry. |
02 – rural agricultural |
Farming activities. |
03 – rural pastorialism |
Main activity is pastoralism/herding animals. |
04 – rural forestry |
Subsistence or wage labour from forest. |
05 – other |
Might include subsidies, eco-tourism etc. |
• Ongoing discussion whether this should be subdivided further, i.e., numbers of people in groups.
• Ecotourism, where would that fit in?
Considerations: Direct observation as well as information from key-informant and cross-checking will provide a good picture.
Explanation: The legal ownership explains the type of legal status that the owner holds to the forestland in the sample area:
Options: |
Explanations and examples: |
|
01 –National government |
Owned by national, state and regional governments or by government-owned corporations. |
Public [state] ownership |
02 –Regional government |
||
03 –Local government |
||
04 –Other public institutions |
I.e., cities, municipalities, villages and communes. Tribal and indigenous*. |
|
05 –Private, individuals/ families |
Owned by individuals and families, including those who have formed themselves into companies, including companies that combine forestry and agriculture (farm forests). Includes cases where owners do not live on or near their forest holdings (absentee owners).Tribal and indigenous. |
Private ownership [group or individual] |
06 –Owned by forest industries |
Owned by private forestry or wood-processing industries. |
|
07 –Owned by other private institutions |
Owned by private corporations, co-operatives or institutions (religious, educational, pension or investment funds, nature conservation societies, etc.). |
|
8 –Other |
Other |
* E.g. Certificate of ancestral domain claim by indigenous group due to historic use of the forest area.
Considerations: This should be investigated before going to the field (which often will be the case as research permits etc. must be obtained beforehand). The legal designation and ownership may differ. Some caution in investigating this question is wise as it may provoke or promote controversial ownership disputes. There might be several owners in the sample area. And sometimes, the key factors of “who owns, who manages and who uses” may be split up in different ways.
Explanation: The number of people living in the sample site (tract).
Size (number) of the population living inside the sample site |
Number: |
People have lived on the site since: |
Year: |
Considerations: Use of visual aid, such as maps and photographs, should ensure that there is a mutual understanding of what area the sample site exactly is.
Explanation: Population dynamics in this context investigates the stability of the local population in relation to the geographic area. Description of the population over the 10 last years
Options: |
Explanations: |
01 – stable; |
The population (in terms of number) has remained more or less at is today the last 10 years |
02 – out-migratory- [decreasing]; |
People are moving away from surrounding areas |
03 – in-migratory- [increasing] |
There is an influx of people moving into the area from other parts of the country |
04 – immigration |
There has been an influx of people from other country(ies) moving to the area |
05 – seasonal migration |
Migration takes part during certain seasons |
• An interesting variable to be defined at national level would be “Why?” if the answers indicate change.
Considerations: A historic perspective is needed to answer this question. Be also aware that seasonal migrations might not be mentioned if it is not occuring at the time of the interview. Questions can be directed in the following way when cross-checking with focus group/individuals:
-“Before, when you were a child, were there more/less people living here?”
- “Do young people most often stay in the area when they establish families or do they go the city? Who leaves and who stays? Do some only migrate during certain periods of the year?”
Explanation: Attempt to provide an overall indication of whether people’s use and harvest of products and services is an increasing or a decreasing trend, that is, the trend of people’s use and influence on the forest resources today compared to 10 years ago:
Options: |
Explanations: |
01 – no change |
|
02 – there is an increasing demand for forest products and services |
|
03 – there is a decreasing demand for forest products and services |
|
04- insufficient knowledge to ascertain |
Considerations: In addition to obtaining information from key informant, the interviewer should revise it when all data collection has been completed. Crosscheck during interviews.
Explanation: Main historic events that have affected local people and the land-use in the area. This is a descriptive variable, and there will be need to have a written explanation (to be explored).
Options: |
Short description: |
Year: |
Wars/conflicts |
||
Tenure-change |
||
Agricultural expansions (booms) |
||
Infrastructure, electricity |
||
Other |
Considerations: Discussing historic changes is a good starting points for interviews and group discussions. Questions on how long the person have lived in the area, where they come from and what important historic events they remember (for example, change of tenure, natural disasters, conflicts, when the road was built, arrival of electricity, etc.) are good ice-breakers.
Explanation: Description of the topography and the ecological zone of the sample site.
Description of topography: |
Ecological zone: |
Explanation: The disease/damage to trees are mainly due to:
Options: |
01- Insects |
02- Fungus |
03- Fire |
04- Unidentified [add more windbreak] |
...
Explanation: If there has been a change in the frequency of extraction, the reason for change is explored:
(might be several options..)
Options: |
01: no change |
Socio-economic aspects: |
02- collapse of price/no market/new substitutes |
03- overuse or competing use with others (outsiders) |
04- change in land use (timber or farm-clearing) |
Biophysical access: |
05- land enclosed in conservation etc |
06- overuse by local community |
Considerations: The aim is to establish whether the trend today is different from the past. It is not the exact timing that is the most important, but rather what they are, and why it is happening?
Explanation: The current demand and supply is explored of forest products and services.
Options: |
01- n/a |
02- there is an increasing demand for more |
03- there is not an increasing demand |
Follow up with “why?”
Considerations: The objective is to establish whether there is a balance between forestry products and services available and forestry products in demand. For example, one can ask: “Do you need more of this forest product, if so why? Need is a rather loaded term, try to make the focus groups elaborate why they need or do not need more as this will provide a broader understanding. Is it for domestic use or the market?
Explanation: Whether the forest product is marketed at local, national or international level or only for home consumption is defined.
Options: |
Explanation, examples: |
01- Home consumption; |
Product is not sold, neither bartered |
02- Local |
Local use/local market |
03- National; |
|
04- International; |
|
05- Combination [of the above options] |
* If the answer is 05, one could indicate the proportions.
Considerations: The person interviewing should be aware that many forest products are illegally marketed. However, it is not the role of the interviewer to reveal such information unless told voluntarily by informants. Questions should be asked with certain sensitivity.
Explanation: A comparison of the frequency of extracting/using the forest products and services today, and 10 years ago:
Options: |
01- is the same |
02- is less |
03- is increased |
04- not applicable |
Explanation: This variable measures the importance given to the product as perceived locally through preference ranking. The three most important products will be ranked.
Product Ranked |
Name of Product: |
Number 1: |
|
Number 2: |
|
Number 3: |
Considerations: This question should be cross-referenced in different focus groups, for example, divided by gender. By ranking the top three an insight will be provided as to whether a timber product is given more value than a non-wood forest product or a service.
The ranking exercise is explained in more detail in Part II.
Explanation: The season and month that the product is collected:
Month: |
Season: |
Considerations: Both season and month of harvest must be noted in order to distinguish between the regional variations.
Explanation: The variable describes whether there are other substitutes available for this forest product and service.
Options: |
01- n/a |
02- yes |
03- no |
If yes, what product(s): - |
Explanation: The variable explores the last time the product was extracted.
Options: |
01- this week |
02- this month |
03- this year |
04- many years ago |
Considerations: During the interview one should bear in mind that outsiders, such as companies, might have extracted the forest product.
Explanation: The technology such as tools and methods used to extract the product when being harvested is explored.
Options: |
Explanation, examples: |
01- n/a |
Not applicable |
02- Mechanised |
Tractors, machinery etc. |
03- Manual chainsaw |
Mechanical chainsaws |
04- Manual |
Manual saw etc. |
05- Other |
Includes animal traction |
Considerations: This question will explore how the product is extracted. Many forest products, such as forest services, will fall under the “not applicable” category, because, for example, “safari” is not extracted.
Explanation: Forest products and services that are extracted from the stand are identified.
Options: |
Explanation and examples |
Wood Products |
|
01- Timber |
Hardwoods, softwoods |
02- Fuelwood |
Wood and charcoal |
Non-Wood Forest Products |
|
Plants and plant products: |
|
03- Food |
Vegetables, fruits, nuts, mushrooms etc. |
04- Fodder |
Grasses, leaves |
05- Medicines |
Medicines from plants from forest |
06- Essential oils |
Oils, soap, cosmetics |
07- Tannins |
Tannins, dyes |
08- Spices/herbs |
Spices and herbs from the forest |
09- Exudates |
Gums, resin, latex etc. |
10- Utensils, handicrafts, |
Non timber-based utensils/ handicrafts |
11- Construction materials |
Non timber-based construction matr. |
12- Ornamentals |
Plants used as ornamentals |
13- Seeds |
Seeds |
14- Biofertilizers, insecticides etc. |
Natural fertilisers or insecticides made of organic matter |
15- Others |
|
Animals and animal Products: |
|
16- Living animals |
Including birds and insects |
17- Bushmeat |
Bigger mammals, rodents |
18- Honey, beeswax |
|
19- Other non-edible animal products |
Hunting trophies etc. |
Forest Services |
|
20- [Paid] Employment |
|
21- Hunting |
Hunting |
22- Grazing |
Service to cows |
23- Bio-prospecting- |
Scientific Research performed |
24- Conservation |
|
(Environmental) |
|
25- Agricultural functions |
Wind breaks and shade |
26- Water/soil conservation |
|
27- Recreational |
|
28- Religious/spiritual |
Considerations: See detailed discussion in Part 2. Exercise: Identifying the Forest Products and Services.
Explanation: Local opinion of whether disagreements (conflicts) are related to harvesting, use or accessing the forest product or services.
Options: |
Explanation |
01- not applicable |
|
02- insufficient knowledge to ascertain |
|
03- Yes, there are conflicts |
|
04- No, there are not conflicts |
Considerations: Conflicts are sensitive. However, some indications might already have been given during the discussion about the user rights to the product.
Explanation: This variable studies the rights of the forest user in relation to harvesting the forest product.
Options: |
Explanation: |
01 – Exclusive rights to harvest the product |
Person has right to exclude others from using/harvesting the product. |
02 – Non exclusive rights to harvest product |
Person cannot exclude other from using the forest product |
03 - Not allowed to harvest product |
Person cannot officially harvest the product |
Considerations: When discussing the rights of the forest user to the forest product easy terms and questions must be formulated. Such as:
-“When you extract this fruit from your land, do others have rights to extract it, too?”
-“ Although it is a government forest, can you harvest the mushrooms?” etc.
Explanation: The group (individuals) that harvests the forest product is selected.
Options: |
Examples: |
01 – Local women/children; |
Women and children from the local area |
02 – Local men; |
Men from local area |
03 – Both local women and men; |
Women and men from local area |
04 – Local organized group or company of persons |
Groups such as hunters association, or local fruit company etc. |
05 – External persons; |
Persons from outside the local area/surrounding |
06 – External national company; |
|
07 – External international company; |
For example, multi-nationals etc. |
08 – Other |
Considerations: During discussions when noting which products are harvested, and for what use, the interviewer should be aware of that different groups, such as women and men, might use the same product differently. Different specie variants might have different user group.
