Prepared for the
supported by
Editotial Team:
Mark Poffenberger
Betsy McGean
N. H. Ravindranath
Madhav Gadgil
Produced by:
Society for Promotion of Wastelands Development
Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra Building
1, Copernicus Marg
New Delhi 110001
©1992
For additional copies, please write to the Joint Forest Management National Support Group at the above address.
The editors would like to thank the rural communities, and the Indian Forest Service officers and field staff who contributed their ideas and experience to the development of this manual. We would also like to express our gratitude to members of the National Joint Forest Management Research Network who participated in the field methods trials. Particular thanks are due to the West Bengal and Gujarat Forest Departments, the Indian Institute for Bio-Social Research and Development, and the Nehru Foundation for hosting methodology workshops. The editorial team would also like to express their appreciation to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, the National Wastelands Development Board, and the Ford Foundation for their long-term support and encouragement in this effort. The institutional support and cooperation of the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawaii and the University of California and Pacific Institute in Berkeley have been invaluable to the editorial team. We would also like to convey our appreciation to Mr. Sharad Lele, Jeff Campbell, and Arvind Khare for their suggestions in developing the manual, and to Mr. Aravindu Numbi, Ms. Indrani, and Dr. M.G. Chandrakanth for their help in preparing the manuscript. Finally, thanks are due to Mr. K.R. Raghunathan and Ms. Mona Challu for their assistance in preparing the text for publication.
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User's Guide to the Manual Series |
i |
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List of Figures and Appendices |
ii |
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Glossary |
v |
PART I: INTRODUCTION
1 |
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5 |
PART II: PREPARING FOR COMMUNITY FOREST RESEARCH
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10 |
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11 |
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14 |
PART III: RAPID APPRAISAL RESEARCH METHODS
15 |
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33 |
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55 |
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70 |
PART IV: USING LEARNING EFFECTIVELY
Analyzing and Interpreting Research Findings for Program Development |
88 |
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91 |
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94 |
This report is the first in a two-volume Field Methods Manual set which is being developed to support the implementation of Joint Forest Management (JFM) programs.
Volume I of the Manual describes a range of diagnostic tools and techniques which can be employed to better understand the complexities of the community-forest relationship and thereby help derive improved participatory management strategies between user communities and Forest Departments (FDs).
Volume II summarizes learning from a field training workshop held in Gujarat in April, 1992. Experiences from the Gujarat Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) illustrate the utility of methods described in Volume I and the types of forest management issues and implementation options that can be generated.
These Field Manual volumes were written as guides for foresters, NGO development practitioners, university-based researchers, and donor agency staff who are interested in strategies to empower communities and bring them meaningfully into formal forest management systems. The methods were designed to provide an initial understanding of forest use practices and conditions, while opening a dialogue with community members regarding management problems and opportunities.
Volume I is divided into four parts. Part I reviews the macro-forest management context in India, and highlights common management problems that can be addressed through diagnostic research. Part II outlines the steps in preparing for community forestry research and Part III describes the four major components of an integrated rapid appraisal strategy for helping develop community forest management programs. These include: 1) community profiling techniques using PRA, 2) methods and analysis procedures for understanding patterns of vegetative change, 3) approaches for illuminating socio-political and institutional characteristics affecting resource management, and 4) assessments of the economics of forest production systems. Part IV reviews strategies for Forest Departments and community groups to utilize the learning from rapid appraisals in order to develop more effective, collaborative management systems.
1 |
State Forest Lands with Potential for Natural Regeneration |
2 |
2 |
Locations with Community Forest Management Activities and States with JFM Notifications |
4 |
3 |
Management Issues and Ecological, Institutional and Economic Research Questions |
9 |
4 |
Research Sites in Chingra, Midnapore District, West Bengal |
13 |
5 |
PRA Steps for Profiling Community-Forest Relationships |
16 |
6 |
Gamtalao Historical Transect |
18 |
7 |
Time Line of Gamtalao |
19 |
8 |
Trend Lines for Wood Extraction in Karnataka, 1973-1989 |
20 |
9 |
Limbi Ground Sketch Map |
23 |
10 |
Drawing of Limbi Sketch Map |
23 |
11 |
Artist's Rendition of Sketch Map of Limbi |
24 |
12 |
Flow Routes in Nawanagar, Pinjore, Haryana |
25 |
13 |
Forest Condition in Nawanagar, Pinjore, Haryana |
25 |
14 |
Land Use Transect in Chandana, West Bengal |
26 |
15 |
Seasonal Calendar of Forest Product Flows, Gamtalao |
28 |
16 |
Daily Activity Schedule of Women in Moti Pipal, Limbi Panchayat |
29 |
17 |
Scoring of Forest Species by Use, Phulwadi Village |
32 |
18 |
Ecological Management Issues, Parameters, and Research Methods |
34 |
19 |
Decision Chart for Selection of Research Methods |
41 |
20 |
Transect Line Location |
48 |
21 |
Estimating Canopy Cover |
50 |
22 |
Grid Projection and Canopy Structure Measurements |
51 |
23 |
Vegetation Profile of a Mixed Forest in Huliyurdurga, Karnataka |
52 |
24 |
Institutional Management Issues, Research Questions and Methods |
56 |
25 |
Systems Diagram of Forest Users and Managers in Pinjore, Haryana |
60 |
26 |
Venn Diagram of Community and Occupational Groups in Limbi, South Gujarat |
62 |
27 |
Daily Activity Schedule of HFD Forest Guard by Season |
65 |
28 |
Incentives and Disincentives of JFM: Perceptions of Guards, Haryana Forest Department |
66 |
29 |
Existing and Proposed Information Flows in the Haryana Forest Department |
67 |
30 |
Economic Issues, Research Questions, and Methods |
71 |
31 |
Steps in Conducting Economic Assessments of Forest Production Systems |
72 |
32 |
Data Sheet for Recording NTFP Collection |
75 |
33 |
Basket Volume of Mahua Flowers |
76 |
34 |
Small Fuelwood Bundle (baadas) for Market, Limbi |
76 |
35 |
Group Interview of Mahua Flower Collectors in Limbi Forest |
78 |
36 |
Group Interview with Tribal Members of Saraja Mali Forest Labor Cooperative Society in Limbi Forest |
78 |
37 |
NTFP Market Price Data Sheet |
80 |
38 |
Production-Marketing Channel of Sal Leaf Plates, West Bengal |
82 |
39 |
Forest Development Preferences of Hill Resource Management Societies and FD Staff in Haryana |
84 |
40 |
Flow Chart of Diagnostic Research Activities, Analysis and Decision-Making |
90 |
41 |
Steps in Working Group Learning Process |
93 |
Appendices |
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1 |
Checklist of Indicators for Joint Forest Management |
95 |
2 |
Glossary of Vegetative Terms with Figure of DBH Measurement |
96 |
3 |
Methods and Formulas for Financial Assessments |
99 |
4 |
Tables for Financial Analyses of Firewood Plantation and NTFP Forest Options |
101 |
baadas |
a bundle of fuelwood weighing approximately 15 kgs |
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B/C Ratio |
Benefit Cost Ratio |
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falia |
hamlet |
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FD |
Forest Department |
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FDC |
Forest Development Corporation |
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FLCS |
Forest labor Cooperative Society |
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FPC |
Forest Protection Committee |
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GO |
Government Order |
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GFD |
Gujarat Forest Department |
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HRMS |
Hill Resource Management Societies |
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IRR |
Internal Rate of Return |
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JFM |
Joint Forest Management |
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Kotwalia |
Scheduled caste of basket-makers |
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NPV |
Net Present Value |
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NTFPs |
Non-Timber Forest Products |
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Nigam |
FDC purchasing agent |
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NGO |
Nongovernmental Organization |
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PD |
Process Documentation |
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PRA |
Participatory Rural Appraisal |