Perceptions of Ethnic Minorities on Tree Growing for Environmental Services in Thailand - Smallholder Tree Growing for Rural Development and Environmental Services - page 398

The significance of trees was also related to the products they provided. The
most important products included building material for houses, stores, fences and
firewood. For firewood, cutting living trees was usually unnecessary because dead-
wood could be gathered. Wood for construction could be cut from the defined
community forests, but only after permission from a village committee. Edible
products, such as fruits leaves and herbs, and material for handicrafts and furniture
were also obtained from trees in the forest.
In addition to products and services, forests and trees have a spiritual meaning.
Animism is still widely practised in the villages and many Buddhists also practise
animist rituals. Trees are commonly believed to be the abodes of spirits. Both ani-
mistic traditions and Buddhism have their sacred trees. Humans and trees have a
close connection in Karen culture; for instance, already at birth the spirit of a new-
born baby is united with the spirit of a tree by a ritual. The Karen believe that peo-
ple and nature are harmoniously united. In addition to religious and spiritual
meanings, the interviewees also indicated the significance of aesthetic aspects, such
as beautiful scenery and pleasant environment.
Trees were seen as playing a crucial role in environmental conservation. In addi-
tion to the importance of trees for water resources, forest services for soil protec-
tion, shade and humidity were appreciated. One example given by a respondent was
that herbs were unable to survive without the protection of trees. Erosion was
apparently a minor problem in the area, but some interviewees mentioned the role
of trees in maintaining the productivity of agricultural land. Moreover, the protec-
tion that natural forests provided to villages from storms and fires was
acknowledged.

19.4 Traditions of Tree and Forest Protection

The villagers tended to emphasize that the tree cover remained around their villages
because of their efforts, not in spite of them, as was often suggested in political and
public discussions. In certain contexts recently, the conservation orientation of the
Karen and Lawa has received increasing focus. The Hmong, however, have been
labelled as a people having no traditional ways of protecting the forest. The results sug-
gest, however, that today these stereotypes are no longer applicable. Each community
studied made efforts for forest conservation and had the motivation to do so. They also
had traditions through which trees were protected and which still play a role in relation-
ships between people and the forest. Taboos, sacred trees, ceremonial sites and burial
grounds are examples of the traditions that have kept certain areas in the forest or indi-
vidual trees protected. The Hmong, for instance, practise a traditional teev ntoo xeeb
ceremony (or dong seng in Thai), in which the spirits of trees are sacrificed animals so
that they will protect the forest, the Hmong people, their animals and the entire village
from all misfortune. This ceremony requires an area with tall, robust trees, and only
villages that have access to such forests can perform it. The Hmong also follow a tradi-
tion believing that 'beautiful, big trees around the village' should be protected.