Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Livelihood Sustainability and Community Based Co-Management of Forest Resources in China: Changes and Improvement

  • Published:
Environmental Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Community-based co-management (CBCM) has been applied in some communities near natural reserves in China. This paper uses Gansu Baishuijiang National Natural Reserve in China as a case study for livelihood improvements under CBCM projects. We demonstrate change from 2006 to 2010 in five classes of livelihood capital (social, human, natural, physical and financial capitals), illustrating the effectiveness of CBCM projects. Specifically, there are increases in mean family income and improvements in forest conservation. However, some problems in the design and implementation of CBCM projects remain, including the complicated social and political relationship between government and community, social exclusion and uneven application of benefits within communities, and the lack of integration of indigenous cultures and traditional beliefs. Attention for special groups in community and improving the design of CBCM Projects. Study shows that under the cooperation of government, CBCM projects and local community residents, the harmonious development of sustainable livelihood improvement and forest resources conservation will be an important trend in the future.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Reference

  • Alexde S, Leah V, Kendra M, Aggarwal R, Barbieri A, Henry S, Hunter LM, Twine W (2008) Rural household demographics, livelihoods and the environment. Global Environmental Change 18:38–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aritta S, Ani AN, Julmansyah Kurniawan (2009) Participatory modelling to improve partnership schemes for future Community-Based Forest Management in Sumbawa District, Indonesia. Environmental Modelling & Software 24:1402–1410

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Babulo B, Muys B, Nega F, Tollens E, Nyssen J (2008) Household livelihood strategies and forest dependence in the highlands of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Agricultural Systems 98:147–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bond A, Davis CN, Nott K, Stuart G (2006) Community based natural resource management manual. WWF-World Wide Fund, pp 23–35

  • Butler LM, Mazur RE (2007) Principles and processes for enhancing sustainable rural livelihoods: collaborative learning in Uganda. International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology 14:604–617

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao SX (2011) Impact of China’s large-scale ecological restoration program on the environment and society: achievements, problems, synthesis, and applications. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 41:317–335

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cao SX, Zhong BG, Yue H, Zeng HS, Zeng JH (2009) Development and testing of a sustainable environmental restoration policy on eradicating the poverty trap in China’s Changting County. PNAS 106(26):10712–10716

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cao SX, Chen L, Zhu QK (2010a) Remembering the ultimate goal of environmental protection: including protection of impoverished citizens in China’s environmental policy. Ambio 39:439–442

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao SX, Wang XQ, Song YZ, Chen L, Feng Q (2010b) Impacts of the Natural Forest Conservation Program on the livelihoods of residents of Northwestern China: perceptions of residents affected by the program. Ecological Economics 69:1454–1462

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao SX, Chen L, Shankman D, Wang CM, Wang XB, Zhang H (2011) Excessive reliance on afforestation in China’s arid and semi-arid regions: lessons in ecological restoration. Earth-Science Reviews 104:240–245

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carlsson L, Berkes F (2005) Co-management: concepts and methodological implications. Journal of Environmental Management 75:65–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carney D (2002) Sustainable livelihoods approaches: progress and possibilities for changes. Department for International Development (DFID), London, UK, pp 13–34

  • Chambers R, Conway GR (1992) Sustainable rural livelihoods: practical concepts for the 21st century. IDS Discussion Paper No. 296. IDS, Brighton, pp 35–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Christopher AT (2008) Community control of resources and the challenge of improving local livelihoods: a critical examination of community forestry in Nepal. Geoforum 39:1452–1465

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CICI (2003) International conference on criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management: the Way Forward, Guatemala City, pp 23–45

  • Cinner JE, McClanahan TR, Wamukota A (2010) Differences in livelihoods, socioeconomic characteristics, and knowledge about the sea between fishers and non-fishers living near and far from marine parks on the Kenyan coast. Marine Policy 34:22–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CNSB (China National Statistics Bureau) (2008) China statistical yearbook. China Statistical Press, Beijing, pp 135–366

    Google Scholar 

  • Danida (2007) Community Based natural resource management. Technical note. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, pp 11-23

  • Don W (2008) Criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management: the road travelled and the way ahead. Ecological indicators 8:115–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • FAO (2006) Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, pp 47–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrington J, Carney D, Ashley C, Turton C (1999) Sustainable livelihoods in practice: early application of concepts in rural areas. Natural Resources Perspectives 42. Overseas Development Institute, London, pp 24–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Jia YJ, Shen FY, Li Y (2007) Energy demand analysis and research in natural reserve forest edge communities: a case study in Baishuijiang National Natural Reserve. Arid Land Resources and Environment 2:123–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Leo CZ (2009) Politics of scale and community-based forest management in southern Malawi. Geoforum 40:686–699

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mcdonalda GT, Laneb MB (2004) Converging global indicators for sustainable forest management. Forest Policy and Economics 6:63–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olsson P, Folke C, Berkes F (2004) Adaptive co-management for building resilience in social-ecological systems. Environmental Management 34:75–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ostrom E (1990) Governing the commons: the evolution of institutions for collective action. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 221–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Pomeroy RS (1995) Community-based and co-management institutions for sustainable coastal fisheries management in Southeast Asia. Ocean and Coastal Management 127:143–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MP (Montreal Process) (2007) Criteria and indicators for the conservation and sustainable management of temperate and boreal forests, 3rd edn, pp 21–35

  • Robert SP, Rebecca RG (2006) Fishery co-management: a practical handbook. International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada, pp 136–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Shivakoti GP, Shrestha S (2005) Analysis of livelihood asset pentagon to assess the performance of an irrigation system-part 1: analytical framework. Water International 30:356–362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stephen T (2006) Communities, livelihoods, and natural resources: action research and policy change in Asia. International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada, pp 86–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Webb EL, Shivakoti GP (2008) Decentralization, forests and rural communities: policy outcomes in South and Southeast Asia. SAGE, Singapore, pp 217–255

    Google Scholar 

  • Wei HL, Zhang KR (2006) Theory and Method of comprehensive effectiveness evaluation in natural reserves: Gansu Baishuijiang National Natural Reserve. China Science Press, Beijing, pp 183–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Wei HL, Chen HY, Bai JM, Zhu T (2009) Modeling community participation and other factors affecting biodiversity protection projects in China. Environment Development and Sustainability 11:725–734

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu CL, Ye HH, Cao SX (2011) Constructing China’s greenways naturally. Ecological Engineering 37:401–406

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang KR, Wu GH (1995) Comprehensive scientific investigation report in Gansu Baishuijiang National Natural Reserve. Gansu Science and Technology Press, Lanzhou, pp 35–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu T, Chen HY, Shivakoti GP, Cochard R, Homcha-aim K (2011) Revisit to community forest in northeast of Thailand: changes in status and utilization. Environment Development and Sustainability 13:385–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We need to thank the financial support from China Scholarship Council and Asian Institute of Technology. We thank the support of leaders and officers in management bureau of Gansu Baishuijiang national natural reserve in China. Much thanks will give Prof. Wei Huilan who is professor in Lanzhou University, She provides us much help and guidance in the process of sampling design and data collection, especially sharing a lot of her experiences in relative study fields. Lots of thanks will give Ms. Christine Wisnewski in USA who provides much help for this paper on language improvement. Last but not least, we especially need to thank reviewers of this paper, they provides us many important comments to improve this paper much better, and best thanks will give editors of Environment Management, thanks very much for your strong support on our research work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang Pathumthani 12120, Bangkok, 12120, Thailand

    Haiyun Chen, Ganesh Shivakoti & Ting Zhu

  2. Sound Science LLC of USA, New York, USA

    David Maddox

Authors
  1. Haiyun Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ganesh Shivakoti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ting Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. David Maddox
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Haiyun Chen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chen, H., Shivakoti, G., Zhu, T. et al. Livelihood Sustainability and Community Based Co-Management of Forest Resources in China: Changes and Improvement. Environmental Management 49, 219–228 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-011-9775-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-011-9775-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation