Contributions of non-timber forest products to people in mountain ecosystems and impacts of recent climate change

Abstract

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are some of nature's most important contributions to people in mountain regions and their provision is increasingly affected by climate change. Here, we identify the types of NTFPs and their contributions to people in the mountain communities of the Upper Madi Watershed of Nepal and describe how these are being impacted by climate change. We used a field-based household survey supplemented with key informant interviews to collect quantitative and qualitative data on their use of NTFPs and perceptions of recent climate change impacts. Our results show that mountain communities accrue multiple benefits from NTFPs including provisioning services (fuelwood, food, fodder, bamboo products, fiber, agricultural tools, and medicines) and cultural services (ornaments, and ritual products). Most NTFPs are used for subsistence but some also have market value. Locals perceived climate change to be impacting NTFPs and their benefits to people, in particular via increases in extreme events such as hailstorms and pest plant invasion. Understanding the contributions of NTFPs to people and the impacts of climate change is crucial for supporting policymakers, stakeholders, and practitioners in designing and implementing adaptation strategies for the continued supply, protection, and management of NTFPs in mountain communities.

Diversity, distribution and medical significance of Gazalina species (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) in Nepal

“…Distribution in Nepal: Jiri (Janakpur), Dagchu (Solukhumbu), Kathmandu (Sugi 1993), Kaski (Gurung et al 2021b).…”

“…Likewise, Chhetri et al (2021 observed G. chrysolopha in September and G. transversa in April in Sikkim, India. This moth's caterpillar is a major pest of Alnus nepalensis and Rhododendron arboreum in Kaski District and its outbreak usually occurs when there is low rainfall during post-winter months (Gurung et al 2021b). This moth has also been reported as a major pest of Quercus dilata in Azad State in Pakistan (Rahaman and Chaudhry, 1991) while Stebbing (1914) reported it as a serious pest of Quercus lamellose in Darjeeling District of India.…”

“…This study covered elevation upto 2000 m where observation of the target species was made. Secondary data (Sugi 1993(Sugi , 1994Gurung et al 2021b;Upadhaya 2018;Kharel (2021) was consulted for the diversity and distribution of Gazalina moths in other parts of the of the country which included Kaski, Lamjung, Myagdi, Makwanpur, Sindhupalchok, Ramechhap etc. This study was done in different years from 2013 to 2020 in June to October.…”

Public Attitudes towards Forest Pest Damage Cost and Future Control Extent: A Case Study from Two Cities of Pakistan

“…A door-to-door survey method (presenting a questionnaire and brief interview) adopted to conduct this survey study [33]. To address the objectives of the study w selective sub-group from the large population was shortlisted from each city base their basic knowledge about the forest pests based on sampling size calculated by the mula (Equation (1)) [34] 𝑛𝑛 = 𝑁𝑁 1 + 𝑁𝑁(𝑒𝑒) 2 where n = sample size, N = total population (here N = 1,001,205 for QU, and N = 1,970 for PE), and e is the acceptable sample error (here e = 0.05). A total of 399 individuals that sub-group were randomly sampled in each city.…”

Servicios ecosistémicos en áreas de montaña: beneficios y amenazas

“…This is key to improving mountain rural areas' livelihood and sustainability (Mazzocchi & Sali, 2022). Timber and biomass for energy are also important ES supplied by mountains (e.g., Gurung et al, 2021) (Figure 1). In several areas is still one of the most important sources of local communities' income and is highly valued in the Alps (Gori et al, 2018), Carpathians (Melnykovych et al, 2018), Himalayas (Gentle & Marseni, 2012) and Africa -Burundi (Ndayizeye et al, 2020).…”