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Understanding the Effects of the Invasive Plants on Rural Forest-dependent Communities

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Abstract

Most of the studies on invasive species are disproportionately focused on their ecological effects and more investigations are needed to understand the effects of invasive plants on rural livelihoods. This study assesses the effects of the invasion of Mikania micrantha—an invasive vine—on the livelihoods of the buffer zone community forest users of Chitwan National Park, Nepal. In this study, the invasive plants are categorized based on their life-form (woody and non-woody) and mode of introduction (accidental or deliberate). The focus is on accidentally transported non-woody species. A household survey revealed that the invasion disproportionately affects the livelihoods of forest-dependent households. In addition, the livelihood effects of invasive plants are particularly determined by the suitability of the invasive plants to produce locally important forest products.

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Notes

  1. Katha is a unit of area, equal to approximately 66.89 m2.

  2. Nepal is divided into three broad physiographic regions. The Terai region spreads from the Gangetic plains in the south to the foothills of the Siwaliks in the north, and is recognized as an area of fertile soil with relatively favourable access to communications and transportation.

  3. Forest products collection time is expressed as time spends per trip to collect either fodder or fuelwood for a day requirement. This does not include the travel time between forest and dwelling.

  4. The Bhari is the traditional unit of measurement for fuelwood and forage in rural areas, one bhari weighing about 25 kg.

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Acknowledgments

This study is a part of the research project funded by South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE). The data presented, the statements made, and the views expressed are solely the responsibility of authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Green Governance Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Rajesh K. Rai

  2. School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia

    Helen Scarborough

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  1. Rajesh K. Rai
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  2. Helen Scarborough
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Correspondence to Rajesh K. Rai.

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Rai, R.K., Scarborough, H. Understanding the Effects of the Invasive Plants on Rural Forest-dependent Communities. Small-scale Forestry 14, 59–72 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-014-9273-7

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