Local Livelihoods
Strategies and innovations for capacity building on ecological restorationBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Ecological Restoration and Sustainable Agricultural LandscapesBackgroundThis paper summarizes the talks of 2013 symposium held in Bogota, Colombia titled Ecological Restoration and Sustainable Agricultural Landscapes. The talks center around the pressing issue of balancing agricultural demands and the need to conserve biodiversity. They discuss current initiatives throughout Latin America that seek to both conserve and restore productive landscapes. Five talks in total are summarized touching on subjects ranging from agroforestry to silvopastoral systems to capacity building. Open access copy available |
Patterns of local wood use and cutting of Philippine mangrove forestsBackgroundHarvesting for wood in mangroves is a common practice yet there has been limited studies. This paper takes a unique approach through integrating ecological and ethnographic methods in order to study local wood use and cutting of mangrove forests in two areas of the Philippines. Goals & MethodsThe author conducted a series of 202 household interviews to determine how villagers used mangrove resources in North and South Bais Bay and Bindoy, Negros Oriental, and on Banacon Island, Bohol. Available with subscription or purchase |
The effects of The International Smallgroup and Tree Planting Program on household income in Nyeri district, KenyaBackgroundThe aim of the study was to determine the effects of TIST program on household income, environmental services and to determine factors that influence participation. Available with subscription or purchase |
The Communal Management of Forests in the Semi‐arid and Sub‐humid Regions of Africa: Past Practice and Prospects for the FutureBackgroundThis article is based on an extensive literature search to analyze indigenous forestry practices in the dryland regions of anglophone and francophone regions of Africa. The authors drew on biology, forestry, and ethnographic material and was written with the aim of encouraging practitioners to involve peoples living near forests into the land management strategies. Available with subscription or purchase |
The Restoration of Forest Biodiversity and Ecological ValuesBackgroundThroughout Asia there has been significant push to restore degraded lands yet many of these initiatives lack clear objectives. This paper explores the failures that have emerged from this trend, paying close attention to restoration schemes that were politically driven and unsuccessful in yielding the economic and environmental benefits due to the lack of clarity in defining the precise restoration objectives. Available with subscription or purchase |
Strategies for empowering the local people to participate in forest restorationBackgroundThis study examined how local people’s involvement in determining and establishing appropriate reforestation techniques and practices can yield positive results. The study also examined the conditions for local people’s willingness to participate in implementing such techniques in their practices. The study was conducted in 10 villages surrounding Mabira Forest Reserve located in Central Uganda. Open access copy available |
Environmentality: Community, Intimate Government, and the Making of Environmental Subjects in Kumaon, IndiaBackgroundAgrawal writes about the relationship between government and subjectivity, particularly about the processes that create “environmental subjects” (people who care about the environment), using an example of changing interests in forest protection following the creation of community-forest management groups in Kumaon, India. Open access copy available |
Adaptive value of participatory biodiversity monitoring in community forestryBackgroundThis paper looks at using a conceptual framework (values, diversity, stakeholders) for forest monitoring, communication and conservation by villagers in Baglung District, Nepal. The goal was to assist local foresters in developing monitoring programs. Available with subscription or purchase |
Evaluation of a rural development project in Southwest Cochabamba, Bolivia, and its agroforestry activities involving Polylepis besseri and other native species – a decade of lessons learnedBackgroundThis report evaluates the results of the PROSANA project (GTZ/Department of Cochabamba) that ran for a 10-year period until the early 2000’s, and its attempts to combat food insecurity and promote conservation of relic forests and the restoration of agroecosystem function by planting mixed forests including Polylepis besseri. Well-adapted socio-ecological systems started to degrade in the region centuries ago with forced relocation of populations to higher, steep slopes and the introduction of European sheep and goats. Presently, firewood collection and grazing prevent the recovery of ecosystems. Open access copy available |
