Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 19.1
Socio-cultural and land use characteristics of the five villages in Mae Chaem and
Chomthong districts, Chiang Mai province and the associated numbers of semi-structured and
group interviews conducted in each village
Ban Yang
San
Ban Pang
Hin Fon
Ban Ho
Kao
Ban Phui
Nua
Mae Ya
Noi
Main ethnic
group(s)
Karen
Karen, Hmong
Lawa
Hmong
Hmong
Number of
households
a
48
55
74
70
60
Number of
individual
interviews
14
10
13
8
15
Number of
group inter-
views
6
2
3
3
3
Altitude (asl.)
800 m
1,220 m
1,030 m
1,200 m
1,000 m
Community
forest area
1,120 ha
b
865 ha
c
412 ha
c
n.a.
n.a.
Conservation
forest area
726 ha
b
378 ha
c
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
Agricultural
land (% of
land area)
166 ha
b
(8%)
192 ha
c
(13%)
140 ha
c,d
(12%)
(65% of land
area)
e
n.a.
Main farming
system
Transition from
swiddens to
permanent
fields
Permanent fields,
cash-crops
Rotational
slash-
and-burn
Permanent
fields,
cash-crops
(cabbage,
formerly
opium)
Permanent
fields
with crop
rotation
(formerly
opium)
n.a.: not available
a
Estimation given by the village headman
b
From Uparasit and Isager 2001
c
From CARE 2001
d
Swidden area 571 ha
e
From Badenoch 2006
humans and animals to live and as a provider of land for agriculture. They described
the forest as the land covered by many trees and the good forest as a stand of large
trees. The role of trees in balancing water and microclimatic conditions was viewed
as most significant. The Karen have a saying that trees give water, and they have
specific traditions protecting trees in important watersheds. The Lawa also have a
specific watershed protection ceremony, whereas Hmong traditions, in contrast,
lack restrictions regarding the use of land in watersheds.
Furthermore, the villagers thought that the water in trees and moisture they
could maintain in the soil aided in preventing wildland fires from spreading. Not
all the trees, however, were regarded as equally valuable in preserving water bal-
ance. Eucalyptus and pine, for instance, commonly used in reforestation projects,
were blamed for diminishing water resources. The interviewees viewed a pleasant
microclimate with fresh and cool air as a general benefit from surrounding trees.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search