Browsing by Author "Córdova Castro, Raúl Clemente"

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are seen as an important part of sustainable forest management practices principally for their undoubted role in poverty reduction when used as safety nets for the poor in rural livelihoods. The aim of this study was to analyse the perceptions, uses and importance of the different NTFPs for the people of Santa Rosa’s community through the evaluation and categorization of the different NTFPs components, such as species (plants and animals), utilized parts, products and categories of use. Data of 143 NTFPs (89 plants & 54 animal sp) were scientifically collected, registered, identified, categorized and analysed in order to have a wider understanding of their importance, perceptions and resource availability from the point of view of the community people. To measure qualitatively and quantitatively the importance of the different NTFPs a simple and participative method named by the researcher “simple selection & elimination” was applied. The results show a clear tendency of prioritization of plant and animal use as NTFPs. In both NTFP groups, community people prioritized the products with medicinal applications (medicinal plants and some animal parts are the first health care resources) followed by products used as food. Many of the plant species are cultivated in small scale, and the contribution of wild fruits is important. In the case of animal species, wild meat is in the majority of the cases the only protein source which balances the diet of the people. The availability of wild animals, specially rodents, is still good. The NTFPs with some commercial value are the least prioritized mainly due to the isolation of the community and the lack of a well established commercialization chain. Finally, it is important to remark the great role of NTFPs in sustaining the rural livelihoods of Santa Rosa’s people by contributing to medicinal, nutritional, cash income generation, construction, cultural and religious needs