Projects

Project #1. Economic and environmental assessment on income  structure change for a forest village in Lao PDR

  • Period: 2019.04.01~2020.03.31
  • Budget: 30,000,000 won (≒ 22,000 USD)  
  • Funding by Korea Forest Service 

1. Non-timber forest product 

        

Many bamboo species are well suited for agroforestry as they are more versatile and rapidly renewable than trees. Bamboo is an important income source for rural villagers around the world, especially in tropical developing countries, such as Lao PDR (Lao People’s Democratic Republic). This study applied a value chain approach to compare potential incomes from different bamboo utilization models: (1) existing model of selling semi-processed raw materials (bamboo splits), and (2) new model of producing handcraft products locally. Using a rural village in eastern Lao PDR (Nongboua village in Vientiane Capital province) as a case study, we provided empirical assessments of two bamboo value chains. Based on interviews with the villagers and stakeholders and government statistical data from 2017 to 2019, existing and new bamboo production chains were evaluated. In the existing value chain, the final products, bamboo chopsticks, are worth $6.74/kg. The value chain starts with bamboo harvesting, collection, and management, which are done by villagers in Lao PDR and taxed by the Lao PDR government. Bamboo splits are then transported to Vietnam to make the final products to sell. Local villagers received only 4.9% of the total value. The new bamboo handicraft model could produce 9 bamboo cups and 60 medals from one bamboo stem worth $52.6–61.7 and $343.8. In this value chain, bamboo harvesting, management, and processing to final products are done by villagers. The handcrafts were collected by traders to be sold at souvenir shops. Local villagers could capture 29.4%–42.3% of the total values. Producing bamboo cup and medal could generate 1.12–2.17 and 234.8 244.6 times higher income for villagers per labor hour and per bamboo stem, respectively, and allow them to use more bamboo resource than producing bamboo splits to export to Vietnam. If applied to other rural areas in Lao PDR, the new bamboo product model for handicrafts can be a better income source for local villagers in Lao PDR with sustainable use of bamboo resources than the existing model. However, it requires extensive bamboo handicrafts training over a year. Although alternative uses of bamboo would be different depending on social, economic, and market contexts, the value chain analysis demonstrated in this study can be applied elsewhere to increase local retention of economic values generated from agroforestry. Visit the Publications tab for more information.

2. Agroforestry



This study analyzes the economic feasibility on the transition of production structure to increase income for a local forest village in Lao PDR. he study area was the Nongboua village in Sangthong district where the primary product is rice from rice paddy. Possible strategies were considered to increase the villagers’ revenue, and Noni (Morinda citrifolia) was production in the short-term. We assumed that the project period was for 20 years for the analysis, and a total of 1,100 Noni tree was planted in 1 ha by 3m × 3m spacing. This study classified basic scenario one, scenario two, scenario three by the survival rate and purchase pirce of Noni. Generally Noni grows well. However, the seedlings’average survival rate (= production volume) was set up conservatively in this study to consider potential risks such as no production experience of Noni and tree disease. The scenario one assumed that the survival rate of Noni seedlings was 50% for 0-1 years, 60% for 0-2 years, and 70% for 3–20 years; the scenario two, 10% less, i.e., 40%, 50%, and 60%; and the scenario three, 10% less, i.e., 40%, 50%, 60% and purchase price 10% less, i.e., $0.29 to $0.26, respectively. Our analysis showed that all 3 scenarios resulted in economically-feasible IRR (internal rate of return) of 24.81%, 19.02%, and 16.30% of with a discounting rate of 10%. The B/C (benefit/cost) ratio for a unit area (1ha) was also analyzed for the three scenarios with a discounting rate of 10%, resutling in the B/C ratio of 1.71, 1.47, and 1.31. The study results showed that the Nongboua village would have a good opportunity to improve its low-income structure through planting and managing alternative crops such as Noni. Also the results can be used as useful decision-making information at a preliminary analysis level for planning other government and public investment projects for the Nonboua village. Visit the Publications tab for more information. 

Project #2. Establishment of the sustainable forestry income structure of mountain villages in Lao PDR 




Bamboo is a widely used natural resource, yet it cannot be managed sustainably without considering its social and environmental potentials. This study compared and evaluated the difference in demands and values of two stakeholder groups (local community and forestry experts) toward various ecosystem services for local bamboo forests and suggested interventions for decision-makers in Laos. This study selected six provisioning, five regulating, two cultural, and two habitat services and evaluated each group for its public perception of and priorities for bamboo forests using a 4-point Likert scale and 100 preference points. Both groups showed higher perceptions and priorities for provisioning and cultural services, which are helpful for sustaining livelihoods. The perceptions and priorities of the community group concerning regulating services (e.g., natural hazard regulation, water purification, and fresh air regulation) to improve crop production were higher than those of the expert group, but regarding the carbon sequestration, the expert group scored higher. Carbon sequestration, a public good provided on a large scale, could be perceived when there is a high level of understanding and interest in bamboo forests through environmental education. In habitat services, there was no significant difference between the groups. Experts should actively consider these differences in demands and public perception when making decisions about bamboo management to promote services that villagers have difficulty perceiving and draw intervention points accordingly in national policies for bamboo resources. Visit the Publications tab for more information. 


Project #3. Developing forest management model for improvement of ecosystem services in mining area

 *** These projects are still in progress. Please email at bo_lee@cnu.ac.kr if you would like to be more detail information.


Although the mining industry has contributed greatly to economic development of Korea, damages on the area after ore mining remains an obstacle to efficient and sustainable land use and ecosystem conservation. As of 2021, various types of mine rehabilitation are occurring in 3,300 of the 5,475 abandoned mines nationwide. The Korean government has also been continuously carrying out forest restoration projects nationwide to restore damaged forest ecosystems. In addition, in the post-mining era, new activities are being undertaken to utilize restored forests in abandoned mine areas as carbon sinks to effectively respond to climate change. Ecosystem Service (ES) may act as a catalyst for sustainable management as in an interdependent relationship of the forest ecosystem-socioeconomics-human welfare. For sustainable development, it is important to first yield a precise diagnosis and evaluation of the current situation. In other words, it is necessary to evaluate service supply and demand for a specific area from an ES perspective. However, in Korea, scant research has been available on forest restoration sites in abandoned mine areas from an ES perspective. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate ES related to forest restoration areas and derive key indicators to manage restored forests sustainably as a forest resource that not only absorbs carbon but also provides various services. A total of 18 ES services related to forest restoration in abandoned mine areas were selected through a literature review. A perception and delphi survey was conducted on stakeholders, each expert in the local community and forestry and mining field. Data was collected from a total of 87 (62 in Taebaek City and 25 in Jeongseon-gun) from October to November 2022 with perception survey, a semi-structured questionnaire with an 11-point Likert scale. The study area was selected as Taebaek-si and Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon-do, where forest restoration projects have been carried out over the past 15 years (2007-2022). As a result, the top five items found to have the highest awareness included Mental and physical health, Landscape and place value, and Recreation of  cultural service, which were followed by local climate and air quality, and Moderation of extreme events of regulating service. A Delphi survey on experts in the forestry and mining fields was conducted to evaluate the validity of 18 ES indicators selected through a literature review and derive key ES items. In the first survey, a questionnaire consisting of a 5-point Likert scale (5 points “very valid” → 1 point “not at all valid”) was used with 93 experts in the mining sector and 134 experts in the forestry sector from October to November 2022 to collect data.  In the second survey, an online questionnaire was distributed via text message to respondents of the first survey, and was conducted for a total of two weeks from July 13 to 26, 2023. The secondary recovery rate was 32% (28 forestry, 36 mining), and coefficient of variation (CV) was less than 0.5 for the consistency of responses, which suggests that the panelists' survey responses were highly consistent during the two rounds, and stability was verified. 11 out of 18 ES indicators that met the three quantitative criteria (CRV 0.4 or higher, QD 0.5 or lower, and H 0.75 or higher) were confirmed. In comparison with the perception survey results, all four services were included, except for recreation, which did not meet the Delphi analysis criteria. Therefore, based on the opinions of experts in the forestry and mining fields and the social demands of the local community, the main core services of the abandoned mine forest restoration site were found to include Mental and physical health, landscape and place value of the cultural service and Local climate and air quality, Moderation of extreme events of the regulating service. These services were found to be closely related to the real life of the local community and to have provided positive effects to local residents or be expected to improve their quality of life in the future. However, considering that the average score being distributed between 6 and 7 points, the actual benefit to the local community was analyzed to be minimal. In addition, although supply services are an item that contributes to creating highly usable goods such as food and raw materials or providing profit opportunities, the perception on the item remained to be negative. This shows that the forest restoration has lacked consideration for local residents who have traditionally depended on specific ES supplies even before mining activities, suggesting the breakdown of flow between supplied ES and the local community. It is expected that the present findings may provide basis to establish an ES promotion strategy for forest restoration tailored to the individual characteristics and circumstances of domestic mining areas. Additionally, the results of study would not only help understand the priorities given to ES by local communities, but could also provide useful information to support the management and policy development of abandoned mine forest restoration areas. Considering that the present study was limited to qualitative analysis, further research on the actual measurability of the evaluation indicators are required. Visit the Publications tab for more information. 


Project #4. Economic effects of forest restoration scenarios by burn severity in large fire-damaged areas 

*** These projects are still in progress. Please email at bo_lee@cnu.ac.kr if you would like to be more detail information.


Wildfires in the Uljin and Samcheok regions caused damages totaling 16,302 ha and $ 698,000. It was the second largest ever after the wildfire in 2000, and it is recorded as a super-large wildfire. As such, wildfires are recently developing simultaneously and in large-scale, inducing various ecological, economic, and social impacts. Public interest in forest fire prevention and management as well as restoration of burned areas is increasing. Scientific knowledge on appropriate measures is required for burned areas. Post-forest fire management currently consist of two aspects: natural restoration according to no-intervention and plantation restoration after salvage logging (clearcutting). The previous studies compared the vegetation and soil characteristics of natural restorations with those of plantation restorations, mostly suggesting the negative effects of clearcutting. However, there is a lack of practical scientific grounds to support the academic debate between conventional salvage logging and non-intervention after forest fires and empirical studies that provide reasonable alternatives for the restoration. In this study, burn areas of post-forest fire were classified into NI (No intervention; neither logging nor planation), SL (Salvage logging; both logging and plantation), and vegetation and soil changes are monitored from 2022 to 2023. There are a total of 4 treatment s, including 2 NI sites (Site 1 and 2), 2 SL sites (Site 3 and 4), which are classified into pine forest and mixed pine forest according to the original vegetation of the affected area. The size of each site is 2m x 2m, and vegetation (number of species, height, dominant species, etc.) and soil characteristics (physical, chemical, field density, etc.) are investigated in 5 repetitions within each site. Although this study is limited in that it is based on a single area and forest type, it is expected to provide simplified methods and indicators for environmental assessment before and after logging by monitoring ecological indicators collected through repeated experiments of various treatments for each scenario and thereby contribute to narrowing the difference of opinion among stakeholders on the management of the damaged area.
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