More than just « small-scale forest management »

Geneviève Michon –IRDRobert Nasi – CIFORGérard Balent - INRA

Farmers and forests

Chestnut forest, Corsica

Mosaic of fields and farmers’ forests Small fragmented rural forest, France

Argan forest, Marocco

Eucalyptus forest, Timor

Oak parklands, Corsica

Domestic forest for collection, Sumatra, Indonesia

Farmers’ forest in S&B area, Sumatra, Indonesia

Spared forest Dipterocarp; laos

Village agroforest, West Java, Indonesia

Humanity and naturality• The material part: ecology, local knowledge and practices

– « Domesticating »: bringing « nature » into the « domestic » human sphere • Domesticating trees• Domesticating ecosystems• Domesticating landscapes

• The immaterial part: the human component of domesticated forests– Economic dimension– Symbolic dimension– Intergenerational linkages: to the ancestors and for the future generations– Political dimension: territory and identity

Domesticating trees: the visible processes

Grafting selected varietiesPlanting

wildings and varieties

Increasing production through working on the tree form

Western Chestnut

Domesticating trees: the invisible processesArgan (Argana spinosa) tree and oil in Marocco

Domesticating ecosystem: manipulating global forest development

Domesticating ecosystem: manipulating regeneration

« Ingeneering » the ecosystem

Ffilling natural or induced gaps

Domesticating landscapes: developing infrastructures

Buildings: storing, drying, milling

Terraces

Domesticating landscapes: introducing rights

Domesticating landscapes: infrastructures + rights = diversity

Belonging to the domesticityEconomy: support of livelihoodEconomy: support of livelihood

Patrimony: transgenerational intentions

Symbolism: linking to the immaterial world

TerritoryPolitical dimension

Identity

And the policy framework ???• The Agriculture / Forest divide: forest or not forest?• Forest policies: do not really acknowledge the multidimensional value

of local forests– Production forests? (not intensive timber production areas, too « degraded »,

timber is minor)– Conservation forests? (not biodiversity sanctuaries: too much humanity: reserve

concept not working)– Social forest? (reluctance for full local rights, authority and legitimacy

recognition)

• Agricultural policies: care for single productions (chestnut, argan oil), not for the maintenance of the forest ecosystem integrity

• Conservation policies: do not care for development and modernization• A bit of everything (production + environment + social)• « Sustainable Development »: a more favorable framework?

New opportunities, new initiatives

• Community forests• Local product certification (G.I.)• Biodiversity or ethnic products • Environmental services

Intensive vegetable growing in MaroccoOil palm development in Indonesia

But

• Long term tendancies and global trade policies

Socio-environmental intensification?