Community perception of ecosystem services from commercially managed forests in Bhutan

Given the direct dependence rural communities have on forests, understanding ecosystem services can empower communities and align stakeholders to define priorities and objectives for the sustainable management of forest resources. In this qualitative study on the forest ecosystem services in Bhutan,...

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Main Authors: Wangchuk, J., Choden, K., Sears, R.R., Baral, H., Yoezer, D., Tamang, K.T.D., Choden, T., Wangdi, N., Dorji, S., Dukpa, D., Tshering, K., Thinley, C., Dhendup, T.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114445
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author Wangchuk, J.
Choden, K.
Sears, R.R.
Baral, H.
Yoezer, D.
Tamang, K.T.D.
Choden, T.
Wangdi, N.
Dorji, S.
Dukpa, D.
Tshering, K.
Thinley, C.
Dhendup, T.
author_browse Baral, H.
Choden, K.
Choden, T.
Dhendup, T.
Dorji, S.
Dukpa, D.
Sears, R.R.
Tamang, K.T.D.
Thinley, C.
Tshering, K.
Wangchuk, J.
Wangdi, N.
Yoezer, D.
author_facet Wangchuk, J.
Choden, K.
Sears, R.R.
Baral, H.
Yoezer, D.
Tamang, K.T.D.
Choden, T.
Wangdi, N.
Dorji, S.
Dukpa, D.
Tshering, K.
Thinley, C.
Dhendup, T.
author_sort Wangchuk, J.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Given the direct dependence rural communities have on forests, understanding ecosystem services can empower communities and align stakeholders to define priorities and objectives for the sustainable management of forest resources. In this qualitative study on the forest ecosystem services in Bhutan, we assessed community awareness and perceptions of local forest ecosystem services, identified their top priorities, and evaluated how they have changed over time. The study focused on state reserve forest areas designated for commercial timber production, formally known as forest management units (FMU). We held focus group discussions separately with women and men associated with five FMUs in the central belt of the country. Participants identified 45 ecosystem services, with soil productivity, freshwater, timber, fresh air, construction stone, carbon sequestration, spiritual value, pollination, and local weather regulation comprising the most highly valued services critical to local livelihood and well-being. Participants felt that forest ecosystem services have been generally declining over the past decade in the FMUs and identified a need for forest restoration activities to improve their delivery. We recommend that state forest entities conduct an awareness campaign to empower communities with the conceptual framework and globally recognized concepts to advocate for their needs related to forests. We also recommend that biophysical and economic studies be conducted in these areas to seek evidence for causal linkages between natural resource use and the status of ecosystem services. This study contributes to a growing literature on ecosystem services in Bhutan and provides a basis for future studies to understand how management activities can impact the delivery of critical services.
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spelling CGSpace1144452024-06-26T09:37:49Z Community perception of ecosystem services from commercially managed forests in Bhutan Wangchuk, J. Choden, K. Sears, R.R. Baral, H. Yoezer, D. Tamang, K.T.D. Choden, T. Wangdi, N. Dorji, S. Dukpa, D. Tshering, K. Thinley, C. Dhendup, T. ecosystem services ecological restoration forest management community forestry Given the direct dependence rural communities have on forests, understanding ecosystem services can empower communities and align stakeholders to define priorities and objectives for the sustainable management of forest resources. In this qualitative study on the forest ecosystem services in Bhutan, we assessed community awareness and perceptions of local forest ecosystem services, identified their top priorities, and evaluated how they have changed over time. The study focused on state reserve forest areas designated for commercial timber production, formally known as forest management units (FMU). We held focus group discussions separately with women and men associated with five FMUs in the central belt of the country. Participants identified 45 ecosystem services, with soil productivity, freshwater, timber, fresh air, construction stone, carbon sequestration, spiritual value, pollination, and local weather regulation comprising the most highly valued services critical to local livelihood and well-being. Participants felt that forest ecosystem services have been generally declining over the past decade in the FMUs and identified a need for forest restoration activities to improve their delivery. We recommend that state forest entities conduct an awareness campaign to empower communities with the conceptual framework and globally recognized concepts to advocate for their needs related to forests. We also recommend that biophysical and economic studies be conducted in these areas to seek evidence for causal linkages between natural resource use and the status of ecosystem services. This study contributes to a growing literature on ecosystem services in Bhutan and provides a basis for future studies to understand how management activities can impact the delivery of critical services. 2021-08 2021-07-29T03:44:30Z 2021-07-29T03:44:30Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114445 en Open Access Elsevier Wangchuk, J., Choden, K., Sears, R.R., Baral, H., Yoezer, D., Tamang, K.T.D., Choden, T., Wangdi, N., Dorji, S., Dukpa, D., Tshering, K., Thinley, C. and Dhendup, T. 2021. Community perception of ecosystem services from commercially managed forests in Bhutan. Ecosystem Services 50: 101335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2021.101335
spellingShingle ecosystem services
ecological restoration
forest management
community forestry
Wangchuk, J.
Choden, K.
Sears, R.R.
Baral, H.
Yoezer, D.
Tamang, K.T.D.
Choden, T.
Wangdi, N.
Dorji, S.
Dukpa, D.
Tshering, K.
Thinley, C.
Dhendup, T.
Community perception of ecosystem services from commercially managed forests in Bhutan
title Community perception of ecosystem services from commercially managed forests in Bhutan
title_full Community perception of ecosystem services from commercially managed forests in Bhutan
title_fullStr Community perception of ecosystem services from commercially managed forests in Bhutan
title_full_unstemmed Community perception of ecosystem services from commercially managed forests in Bhutan
title_short Community perception of ecosystem services from commercially managed forests in Bhutan
title_sort community perception of ecosystem services from commercially managed forests in bhutan
topic ecosystem services
ecological restoration
forest management
community forestry
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/114445
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