Value of Tropical Forest
Attributes
Medium: Land
Country: Cambodia
Analytical Framework(s): Economic Analysis
Unit(s): Average Net Present Benefit Value
Study Date: 1996
Publication Date: 1997
Major Result(s)
| Resource/Environmental Good | KHR, per hectare (1996) |
KHR, per hectare (2014)1 |
USD, per hectare (2014)2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Additional net benefit of traditional sustainable use of forest resources over commercial timber extraction | 529,200.00 | 1,105,128.36 | 271.64 |
| Aggregate value of non-timber forest products | 3,922.00 | 8,190.31 | 2.01 |
About the Inflation Adjustment: Prices in Cambodia (KHR) changed by 108.83% from 1996 to 2014 (aggregated from annual CPI data), so the study values were multiplied by 2.09 to express them in 2014 prices. The study values could be expressed in any desired year (for example, to 2025) by following the same inflation calculation and being sensitive to directional (forward/backward) aggregations using your own CPI/inflation data.
Study Note: The study mentioned that there have been no systematic studies of the causes of deforestation in Cambodia. Such studies would be useful in general, but particularly useful in Ratanakiri wherein swidden agriculture is widely believed to be the main cause of deforestation in the province. The author commented that the validity of such a belief is questionable, and improbable in the near term due to the large scale commercial pressures on forestland in Ratanakiri.
Study Details
Summary: This study was undertaken to identify the social and environmental costs and benefits of different uses and management of forest land in Ratanakiri province. Ratanakiri is a richly forested province in danger of deforestation due to various economic activities. The study took particular notice of the importance of non-timber forest products in assessing the value of the tropical forest areas in the study site. The study then compared the value of using the forest land for traditional purposes (such as the harvesting of non-timber forest products) with the value of using the forest for commercial timber extraction. Results showed that the benefits from traditional sustainable use of the forest exceed the benefits of commercial timber extraction in the study area by at least USD 200.00 per hectare (NPV over a 90-year period). This finding suggests that the area of high cultural value and environmental significance might best be managed by local communities.
Site Characteristics: Ratanakiri is located in the remote part of Northeast Cambodia. Inspite of the lack of a land use plan for the province, some commercial development activities are already underway, many of which will result in the destruction of pristine forest areas. A majority of the population (85%) belong to ethnic minorities who are totally dependent on the forest. The study site, Tapean forest (located in Poey Commune, O Chum District, Ratanakiri province), covers 1,824 hectares of land. Used extensively for traditional purposes by at least five villages in the area, the forest acts as an important watershed, is a prime location for malva nuts (an important source of livelihood for the villagers), has potential for eco-tourism, and holds trees of commercial value. Approximately half a hectare contains close to 200 tree species and over 300 species of ground flora and saplings. To facilitate the study, a survey of 42 households (found to be mostly low-income) was undertaken in four villages identified to depend on Tapean forest.
Comments: Non-timber forest products considered in the study included fuelwood, rattan and bamboo, malva nuts, house construction materials, and wildlife.