Non Timber Forest Products

Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) were investigated in upper Tabalong area in the northern part of South Kalimantan. Most of the remaining forest in this area is dipterocarp forest on steep slopes, logged over the past 25 years, with some forest on limestone. The majority of the lowlands in this region have been converted to settlements, secondary growth, industrial tree plantation and untended rubber. Original Dayak communities, who have traditionally harvested NTFPs for their own use and for trading, remain in the area. They are now outnumbered by permanent and temporary migrants, predominantly Banjar, Javanese, Dayak Manyan, and transmigrants from Nusa Tenggara.

The NTFP resource base in this area exists in an approximately 137,000 ha block of natural forest, with 85,000 ha of that area managed under the HPH forest concession system by PT. Aya Yayang Indonesia. This forest block includes the upper Tabalong river drainage, plus parts of rivers that drain into Central and East Kalimantan; the forest area extends to the borders with Central and East Kalimantan. Located south and adjacent, but outside the block of the natural forest area, are three HTI (industrial tree plantation) concessions with a total area of 31,000 ha.

WHAT ARE THEY?

The main NTFPs of upper Tabalong are described in the accompanying report “Non Timber Forest Products and sustainable forest management in upper Tabalong : (1) Description”.

VALUE OF NTFPS

The total NTFP gross selling value estimated for year 1999 is IDR 1,060 million when calculated up to the first trader link in the market chain. This value is 4% of the forest products removed from the forest concession, the other 96% being commercial timber produced by AYI but excluding timber removed from the forest by illegal loggers.

WHO HAS RIGHTS?

In practice in upper Tabalong, almost all NTFPs are treated as open-access resources by government and the majority of local residents. The few NTFPs that have until recently enjoyed some degree of stewardship by the original inhabitants of the area (edible birds’ nests, honey bee nest trees and some fruit trees) are now becoming open access in reality, as migrants have entered the area uncontrolled for many years and are not prevented from felling trees for sale of timber, and for farming and land claims.

IMPORTANCE TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Most NTFPs harvested in upper Tabalong represent important sources of quick income and / or food for some of the poorer residents and migrants, who have limited sources of cash income other than rubber tapping and illegal felling of trees.

Based on information collected in 1999, wild animal meat (mainly pigs and deer) is the most important NTFP for the local population, in terms of combined food value and cash income. Rattan was the largest employment contributor amongst NTFPs, with 170 people involved during 4,420 person-weeks, while damar was estimated to contribute the highest individual collector net income with a weekly income of IDR 136,000.

SUSTAINABILITY & IMPACTS OF HARVESTING

Harvesting of the majority of NTFPs in upper Tabalong is not sustainable, either because rates of harvesting are greater than replacement and / or because forest is being lost through ladang farming and fire and / or because forest is being degraded through legal and illegal logging.

However, the adverse effects of NTFP harvesting are considered to be relatively minor in upper Tabalong, both in terms of their minimal immediate environmental effects (harvesting does not involve fire, heavy machinery or chemical use) and in comparison to the enormous losses in regeneration potential associated with a combination of bulldozers in legal logging, removal of remaining commercial tree seed sources through illegal logging, and ladang encroachment.

The most damaging NTFP harvesting activity may be fishing with poisons and electricity, which has reduced local fish populations already and which appears to continue uncontrolled.