The importance of local forest benefits: valuation of non-timber forest products in the Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania

M. Schaafsma; S. Morse-Jones; P. Posen; R.D. Swetnam; A. Balmford; I.J. Bateman; N. Burgess; S.A.O. Chamshama; B. Fisher; T. Freeman; V. Geofrey; R. Green; A.S. Hepelwa; A. Hernández-Sirvent; S. Hess; G.C. Kajembe; G. Kayharara; M. Kilonzo; K. Kulindwa; Jens Friis Lund; S.S. Madoffe; L.  Mbwambo; Henrik Meilby; Y.M. Ngaga; Ida Theilade; Thorsten Treue; P. van Beukering; V.G. Vyamana; R.K. Turner

The importance of local forest benefits: valuation of non-timber forest products in the Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania

M. Schaafsma, S. Morse-Jones, P. Posen, R.D. Swetnam, A. Balmford, I.J. Bateman, N. Burgess, S.A.O. Chamshama, B. Fisher, T. Freeman, V. Geofrey, R. Green, A.S. Hepelwa, A. Hernández-Sirvent, S. Hess, G.C. Kajembe, G. Kayharara, M. Kilonzo, K. Kulindwa, Jens Friis LundS.S. Madoffe, L. Mbwambo, Henrik Meilby, Y.M. Ngaga, Ida Theilade, Thorsten Treue, P. van Beukering, V.G. Vyamana, R.K. Turner

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Understanding the spatial distribution of the quantity and value of Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) collection gives insight into the benefits that local communities obtain from forests, and can inform decisions about the selection of forested areas that are eligible for conservation and enforcement of regulations. In this paper we estimate transferable household production functions of NTFP extraction in the Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM) in Tanzania, based on information from several multisite datasets related to the behaviour of over 2000 households. These micro-level models can be used to predict the value of NTFP collection across a broader spatial scale. The study shows that the total benefit flow of charcoal, firewood, poles and thatch from the EAM to the local population has an estimated value of TSH 59 billion (USD 42 million) per year, and provides an important source of additional income for local communities, especially the poorest. We therefore argue that further restrictions on forest access to promote conservation will require additional policies to prevent a consequent increase in poverty, and an enforced trade-off between conservation and energy supply to rural and urban households.

Original language	English
Publisher	Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment (CSERGE)
Number of pages	15
Publication status	Published - 2011

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Schaafsma, M., Morse-Jones, S., Posen, P., Swetnam, R. D., Balmford, A., Bateman, I. J., Burgess, N., Chamshama, S. A. O., Fisher, B., Freeman, T., Geofrey, V., Green, R., Hepelwa, A. S., Hernández-Sirvent, A., Hess, S., Kajembe, G. C., Kayharara, G., Kilonzo, M., Kulindwa, K., ... Turner, R. K. (2011). The importance of local forest benefits: valuation of non-timber forest products in the Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania. Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment (CSERGE). http://www.cserge.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2011-05.pdf

Schaafsma, M, Morse-Jones, S, Posen, P, Swetnam, RD, Balmford, A, Bateman, IJ, Burgess, N, Chamshama, SAO, Fisher, B, Freeman, T, Geofrey, V, Green, R, Hepelwa, AS, Hernández-Sirvent, A, Hess, S, Kajembe, GC, Kayharara, G, Kilonzo, M, Kulindwa, K, Lund, JF, Madoffe, SS, Mbwambo, L, Meilby, H, Ngaga, YM, Theilade, I , Treue, T, Beukering, PV, Vyamana, VG & Turner, RK 2011 'The importance of local forest benefits: valuation of non-timber forest products in the Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania' Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment (CSERGE). <http://www.cserge.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2011-05.pdf>

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abstract = "Understanding the spatial distribution of the quantity and value of Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) collection gives insight into the benefits that local communities obtain from forests, and can inform decisions about the selection of forested areas that are eligible for conservation and enforcement of regulations. In this paper we estimate transferable household production functions of NTFP extraction in the Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM) in Tanzania, based on information from several multisite datasets related to the behaviour of over 2000 households. These micro-level models can be used to predict the value of NTFP collection across a broader spatial scale. The study shows that the total benefit flow of charcoal, firewood, poles and thatch from the EAM to the local population has an estimated value of TSH 59 billion (USD 42 million) per year, and provides an important source of additional income for local communities, especially the poorest. We therefore argue that further restrictions on forest access to promote conservation will require additional policies to prevent a consequent increase in poverty, and an enforced trade-off between conservation and energy supply to rural and urban households.",

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AU - Swetnam, R.D.

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AU - Bateman, I.J.

AU - Burgess, N.

AU - Chamshama, S.A.O.

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AU - Freeman, T.

AU - Geofrey, V.

AU - Green, R.

AU - Hepelwa, A.S.

AU - Hernández-Sirvent, A.

AU - Hess, S.

AU - Kajembe, G.C.

AU - Kayharara, G.

AU - Kilonzo, M.

AU - Kulindwa, K.

AU - Lund, Jens Friis

AU - Madoffe, S.S.

AU - Mbwambo, L.

AU - Meilby, Henrik

AU - Ngaga, Y.M.

AU - Theilade, Ida

AU - Treue, Thorsten

AU - Beukering, P. van

AU - Vyamana, V.G.

AU - Turner, R.K.

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N2 - Understanding the spatial distribution of the quantity and value of Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) collection gives insight into the benefits that local communities obtain from forests, and can inform decisions about the selection of forested areas that are eligible for conservation and enforcement of regulations. In this paper we estimate transferable household production functions of NTFP extraction in the Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM) in Tanzania, based on information from several multisite datasets related to the behaviour of over 2000 households. These micro-level models can be used to predict the value of NTFP collection across a broader spatial scale. The study shows that the total benefit flow of charcoal, firewood, poles and thatch from the EAM to the local population has an estimated value of TSH 59 billion (USD 42 million) per year, and provides an important source of additional income for local communities, especially the poorest. We therefore argue that further restrictions on forest access to promote conservation will require additional policies to prevent a consequent increase in poverty, and an enforced trade-off between conservation and energy supply to rural and urban households.

AB - Understanding the spatial distribution of the quantity and value of Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) collection gives insight into the benefits that local communities obtain from forests, and can inform decisions about the selection of forested areas that are eligible for conservation and enforcement of regulations. In this paper we estimate transferable household production functions of NTFP extraction in the Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM) in Tanzania, based on information from several multisite datasets related to the behaviour of over 2000 households. These micro-level models can be used to predict the value of NTFP collection across a broader spatial scale. The study shows that the total benefit flow of charcoal, firewood, poles and thatch from the EAM to the local population has an estimated value of TSH 59 billion (USD 42 million) per year, and provides an important source of additional income for local communities, especially the poorest. We therefore argue that further restrictions on forest access to promote conservation will require additional policies to prevent a consequent increase in poverty, and an enforced trade-off between conservation and energy supply to rural and urban households.

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ER -

The importance of local forest benefits: valuation of non-timber forest products in the Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania

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