Falling back on forests: how forest-dwelling people cope with catastrophe in a changing landscape

N. LISWANTI, D. SHEIL, I. BASUKI, M. PADMANABA and G. MULCAHY

International Forestry Review Vol.13(4), 2011

ISSRM CONFERENCE, EDMONTON, JUNE 17-21, 2012

Outline

Background

Study Area

Methods

Results

Discussion

Implications and Conclusion

Forest-dependent people

Working with communities for a decade and documented 1500 useful species

Forest provide important resources, land, and opportunity for livelihood

Background

Category of use of forest

Food

Marketable items

Light construction

Medicine Heavy construction Boat construction

Tools Ornament/rituals

Basketry

Fire wood

Hunting place Future Recreation Hunting equipment

Problems Natural hazards (flood) frequently

occur

Does people’s reliance on forest change in times of disaster?

A flash flood in 2006 in Malinau watershed

Objectives

Do disasters influence people’s reliance on the forest?

What livelihood factors influence forest reliance?

The role of forest in times of hardship is little documented and this is among the first

studies with forest-dependent communities in Southeast Asia

Study Area

Village MLA

Road

River

Open area

Continuous forest

Degraded forest

Plot

Frontier forest (2000) Non forest

4 communities, 2 ethnic groups (Merap & Punan)

Study in 2007 & 2008

Methods Interviews, questionnaires, discussions

Head of households (excluded those who suffered no damage and were absent)

Assessment: flood impact, the nature and extent of damage, coping strategies, sources of food and livelihoods, access to forest

Dependence: relative frequency with which people turn to a given activity from among available choices survival and livelihoods

Methods

Coping Strategies Increase Reliance Forest

Temporary Agricultural

Land

Resettlement

Search Employment

Statistical analysis: The <phi> coefficient and Kruskal–Wallis

Notes:

Type of Damage: Crop loss Land Damage House Damage Loss animals

Severity of Damage: Minor Medium Severe

Results

General overview

Impact of flood

Coping strategies

Do disasters influence people’s reliance on the forest?

What livelihood factors influence forest reliance?

General overview

English name After floods In normal times*

Merap Punan Merap Punan

Animals

Bearded pig, Sambar deer, Red muntjak, River carp F F F F

Palm civet, Asian mouse deer, Asian leaf turtle – F – F

Rhinoceros hornbill

M – M M

Plants

Sago F F – –

Bamboo F F F F

Ironwood – C/M C/M C

Timber (Shorea & Dryobalanops) C/M C/M C/M C

Rattan & palm – B B B

Timber (Hopea & Dipterocarpus)

M – M –

List of forest products utilized by households before and after a flood for specific purposes

F= Food; C/M= Construction/Marketable; B=Basketry

10 most important plants species

Agathis borneensis

Licuala valida

Aquilaria beccariana

Durio sp.

Shorea parvifolia

Eusideroxylon zwageri

Calamus caesius Elmerrillia tsiampacca Shorea pinanga

Arenga undulatifolia

10 most important animals

Sus barbatus Tragulus napu

Helarctos malayanus

Pycnonotus zeylanicus Muntiacus muntjak Cervus unicolor

Buceros vigil Gracula religiosa

Hystrix brachyura

Households impacted by flood

Severity of damage: 70% land damage, 60% crop loss, 55% house

damage, and 30% loss of domestic animals

Combination of Coping Strategies:

Impact of damage: >60% damage on land and crops

30% to 55% damage to house & animals

Coping Strategy Responses: 90% Increased reliance on forest

75% Temporary Agricultural Land

65% Searching for Employment

60% Resettlement

Impact of flood

Associated with loss or damage to house and crops

Hunting and fishing

Harvesting timber

Collecting plants, sago and bamboo

Increased reliance on the forest

Factors influence forest reliance Employment is associated

with education

Reliance on forest is associated with education and wealth

Wealthier households have better education and made less use of the forest 0

5

10

15

20

25

No Yes

No education

Education

Num

ber

of

house

hold

s

Search for employment

The role of forest

People’s coping strategies

Most dependent households on the forest after a crisis

Implication & Recommendation

Safety values should be recognized, respected, and as far as possible maintained – or where necessary substituted

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