Stand Characteristics and Perceptions of Local Communities on the Management of Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) Forests in an Unstable Region of Afghanistan

IF 1.2 4区农林科学 Q3 FORESTRY

Journal of Sustainable Forestry Pub Date : 2021-09-10 DOI:10.1080/10549811.2021.1978097

Mohammad Bashir Mahmoodi, Mohammad Nasir Shalizi, J. Groninger, K. Akamani, Safiullah Khurram

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引用次数: 2

Abstract

ABSTRACT Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) forests support livelihoods in communities within Afghanistan’s Pistachio Belt, a region characterized by extreme poverty and chronic insecurity. In this study, we used ecological data, as well as survey data to characterize standing attributes and resource user perceptions about local pistachio forests and their management. The survey questionnaire was verbally administered to 507 household representatives in remote communities that were chosen from eight districts in northern and northwestern Afghanistan based on accessibility and their location within the Pistachio Belt. Stand density and tree form varied widely between sites and as a function of elevation. Partial harvesting for fuelwood collection was positively correlated with stand density. The survey data also showed that pistachio forests support a variety of livelihood activities among respondents and their households. However, suboptimal nut collection timing and use of damaging nut harvesting methods were widespread with little effort to accommodate natural regeneration. Forest users typically recognized the degraded condition of the pistachio forest and the negative impacts of grazing and fuelwood collection on forest density. Respondents also recognized the impacts of nut collection practices, fuelwood collection, and grazing on forest regeneration status. These results suggest that efforts to sustainably manage pistachio forests must recognize considerable variation within and between communities regarding forest physical condition, accustomed uses by associated communities, and existing or potential mechanisms regulating forest uses. All of these necessitate context-specific forest management planning. We discuss challenges inherent to collecting baseline data needed for planning multiple-use community-based natural resources management in highly insecure environments.

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阿富汗不稳定地区的林分特征和当地社区对开心果森林管理的认识

摘要：开心果（Pistacia vera L.）森林支持阿富汗开心果带社区的生计，该地区以极端贫困和长期不安全为特点。在这项研究中，我们使用生态数据和调查数据来描述当地开心果森林及其管理的林分属性和资源使用者感知。调查问卷对阿富汗北部和西北部八个地区的507名偏远社区的家庭代表进行了口头管理，这些代表是根据交通便利性和他们在开心果带内的位置选择的。林分密度和树形在不同地点之间以及作为海拔的函数而变化很大。薪材采集的部分采伐与林分密度呈正相关。调查数据还显示，开心果森林支持受访者及其家庭的各种生计活动。然而，不理想的坚果收集时间和破坏性坚果收获方法的使用普遍存在，几乎没有努力适应自然再生。森林使用者通常认识到开心果森林的退化状况以及放牧和薪材收集对森林密度的负面影响。受访者还认识到坚果采集做法、薪材采集和放牧对森林再生状况的影响。这些结果表明，可持续管理开心果森林的努力必须认识到社区内部和社区之间在森林物理条件、相关社区的习惯用途以及管理森林用途的现有或潜在机制方面存在相当大的差异。所有这些都需要针对具体情况进行森林管理规划。我们讨论了在高度不安全的环境中收集规划多用途社区自然资源管理所需的基线数据所固有的挑战。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Sustainable Forestry Social Sciences-Geography, Planning and Development

CiteScore

3.90

自引率

12.50%

发文量

期刊介绍： Journal of Sustainable Forestry publishes peer-reviewed, original research on forest science. While the emphasis is on sustainable use of forest products and services, the journal covers a wide range of topics from the underlying biology and ecology of forests to the social, economic and policy aspects of forestry. Short communications and review papers that provide a clear theoretical, conceptual or methodological contribution to the existing literature are also included in the journal. Common topics covered in the Journal of Sustainable Forestry include: • Ecology, management, recreation, restoration and silvicultural systems of all forest types, including urban forests • All aspects of forest biology, including ecophysiology, entomology, pathology, genetics, tree breeding, and biotechnology • Wood properties, forest biomass, bioenergy, and carbon sequestration • Simulation modeling, inventory, quantitative methods, and remote sensing • Environmental pollution, fire and climate change impacts, and adaptation and mitigation in forests • Forest engineering, economics, human dimensions, natural resource policy, and planning Journal of Sustainable Forestry provides an international forum for dialogue between research scientists, forest managers, economists and policy and decision makers who share the common vision of the sustainable use of natural resources.