Tranquilidad and hardship in the forest : livelihoods and perceptions of Camba forest dwellers in the northern Bolivian Amazon

Sustainable management of tropical forests relies largely on the interest of forest dwelling people in long-term forest extraction and their capacity to prevent forest degradation by other forest users. This study discusses the role of the forest in the livelihoods and perceptions of Camba (multi-ethnic) forest dwellers in the northern Bolivian Amazon. These former rubber tappers migrated into the region during the rubber era in the 19th century and have relied on a complex and flexible agro-extractive system for their livelihood and identity. Over the course of the last few decades, the rubber market has disappeared and the related patron-client relationships have declined. Consequently, different types of settlement have evolved and alternative livelihood activities are being explored. The potential for sustainable livelihood development in the region is assessed by analyzing the forest dwellers livelihood assets, productive activities and perceptions of the forest livelihood. Moreover, this study explores the Cambas social organization and control of natural resources, prerequisites for their success as managers and defenders of the forest. The methodology is largely based on the Sustainable Livelihood Framework developed by British development organizations. This study was performed within the framework of PROMAB. Programa Manejo de Bosques de la Amazonía Boliviana (PROMAB) is an international research, training and extension program advancing the sustainable exploitation and management of timber and non-timber forest resources in northern Bolivia. PROMAB is a joint effort of the Instituto para el Hombre Agricultura y Ecología (Bolivia), The Universidad Técnica del Beni (Bolivia), and Utrecht University (the Netherlands)

Ocupação cabocla e extrativismo madeireiro no alto capim: uma estratégia de reprodução camponesa Caboclo occupation and timber extractivism at upper capim river: a peasant reproduction strategy

Com o avanço da atividade madeireira através da Bacia Amazônica, comunidades localizadas ao longo das fronteiras madeireiras passam a ter oportunidade de vender os direitos de extração da madeira de suas áreas. O valor localmente percebido e as decisões das populações locais sobre a forma de uso de seus recursos contrastam fortemente com as visões globalmente construídas sobre o valor da floresta tropical. Este valor local é baseado em representações que consideram a importância local dos produtos florestais e no contexto em que estas representações são construídas. Para explorar esta temática, o artigo começa com uma reconstrução do histórico de uma comunidade cabocla enfocando nas dinâmicas de uso da floresta. Para os comunitários, a madeira sempre representou uma herança que poderia ser gasta ao longo do tempo. A madeira foi o principal produto da floresta com valor de mercado e, até recentemente, sua extração não reduziu significativamente o acesso aos outros produtos florestais. A madeira, então, foi vista como uma herança com valor de troca e uso não conflituoso. Quatro fatores sócio-econômicos influenciaram a continuidade das vendas de madeira mesmo quando as perdas no consumo de produtos não madeireiros ficaram evidentes: 1) relações paternalistas entre os compradores da madeira e os caboclos; 2) dificuldades de gestão comum dos recursos; 3) especialização na extração de madeira e dependência de produtos externos e; 4) crescente envolvimento no mercado que demandou maior quantidade de dinheiro para suprir novas necessidades.<br>As the timber industry advances throughout the Amazon basin, communities located along logging frontiers are increasingly approached to sell the rights to their timber. Such communities consider several aspects to assess the value of forest products. Locally perceived value and behaviors towards tropical forest resources contrast sharply with globally constructed views of tropical forest value. This locally perceived value is based on representations regarding the importance of forest products and on the context in which these representations are formed. To explore this theme, the paper begins with a historical reconstruction of a caboclo community focusing on forest resource use and dynamics during the last hundred years. For the households within the study communities, timber always represented a natural heritage that could be spent over time. It was the principal product with market value and, during initial timber sales, extraction did not significantly reduce access to other forest products. Therefore, timber resources represented an inheritance with exchange value and little conflicting use. Four socioeconomic factors were identified which influenced communities to sell timber despite the losses in non-timber forest products that they began to experience over time: 1) paternalistic relationships among buyers and caboclos; 2) difficulties in common property resource management; 3) quick cash gained from timber sales guaranteed access to market products and; 4) expanding market involvement required increased cash to meet increasing needs