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| Local perceptions of the different land types and resources
Men do not consider the small tree forests important. They are mostly used
for fodder extraction and for hunting. We will see in the section on ethno-botanical
knowledge, Chapter 8, that a large number of herbaceous plants are recognized
for their use as fodder. Usually, villagers find food for their cattle in the grasslands
near the village, rather than in the forest, but this result shows that their knowledge
is focused on this kind of activity and that their perception has followed their
progressive settling process. In these forest areas, they also gather small materials
for tools and cattle fences. On the contrary, women consider this forest type the
second most important. According to them, because small tree forests are closer
to the village, it is easier for them to collect grass for cattle, tool materials and
firewood. The results show that resource accessibility and the differing activities
by gender play an important role in the difference of perception by the villagers.
The results of group discussions show that plantation forests have not brought
optimal benefits yet, as plantations are still recent, but in the near future they will
become the most profitable source of income. This point seems to relate to the
fact that plantations are the key element of the government policy for the settling
process. Government officials emphasize that plantations bring more income and
a better livelihood to local people than shifting cultivation, and for that reason
villagers should stay close to the main road and reduce their activities in the forest.
But local perception shows a different perspective on the importance of natural
and planted forests to local livelihoods.
In the context of nature reserve management, the Khe Tran community needs
alternative sources of income to replace the loss of products previously provided
by the forest (marketable items, construction materials, tools, etc.). There should
be an agreement on the possibility of access to the forest during hard times
(drought or flood). Perception of forests should be considered in its dynamic
aspects, however, and the importance of forests to local people may change with
time.
6.4. Forest importance in the past, present and future
The notion of forest importance across different time scales was difficult to explain
during group discussions. Groups had to compare the importance of forest (both
natural and plantation) among three time periods (present, 30 years ago and the
next 20 years) based on the different categories of uses, but to avoid confusion the
category ‘for the future’ was not used.
The result shows that forest of 30 years ago was more important for villagers
than that of today (Figure 11). According to local informants, in the past they
were more dependent on forest products for food, heavy construction, firewood,
basketry, hunting and recreation. Today agriculture (home gardens and plantations)
has replaced many previous activities in the forest.
Villagers consider the forest of the future more important than the forest
at present. All groups think that it will provide more fodder, more products for
ornament and more marketable resources such as latex and timber (Table 10).
Each household should have a bigger plantation that is a more important source of