Page 30 - Tropical Peat Swamp Forests of Sarawak FA
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Non-timber forest products at
Maludam National Park
Peat swamp forests not only produce timber. Population estimates from 2002 show that
Many diferent non-timber forest products the Iban population living in the vicinity of
(NTFP) are used by local people.In a recent Maludam National Park consists of approxi-
study the socio-economic value of NTFP’s for mately 1,115 people. They live in about 12 long-
houses situated in the Maludam and Seduku/
local village communities was assessed through Lingga complexes of communities around the
a rapid diagnostic appraisal, which was car- park area, comprising approximately a total of
ried out in three Iban communities in the area 250 households.
around Maludam National Park: the relatively
isolated Rumah Tanjung Baru, located in the There are few employment opportunities in the
north, alongside the Maludam River near the area, except for short term and often seasonal
employment as labourers. The major source of
coastal settlement Maludam, and the Rumah income for the Iban population is rice and co-
Johnson and Rumah Lau, both located in the conut cultivation. Other crops grown are maize
south, between the Lupar River and the road and a great variety of fruits and vegetables.
connecting the nearby settlement Lingga to Sri Fresh water ishing is a minor-income generat-
Aman. The appraisal was followed by a survey ing activity. However, timber and non-timber
on six NTFP’s (see box 4.1) that are commonly forest products are important sources of income.
Trading of agricultural products, ish and forest
used by the Iban population in the area and products is limited to local and regional mar-
have commercial value. Their importance to the kets, either by the primary producers themselves
community’s subsistence and cash incomes was or with involvement of intermediary traders who
estimated. buy from them and sell on to larger-volume trad-
ers in nearby towns.
The role of NTFP’s in the Iban
BOX IV. Non-timber forest products of household economy
peat swamp forests Non-timber forest products are widely used by
members of Iban village communities. More
Non-timber forest products used by the than 200 plant species provide them with fruits,
people in the Maludam area include fruits of vegetables, medicines and material inputs for
the palm Eleiodoxa conferta (Maram or Asam construction, furniture and equipment. NTFP’s
Paya), leaves of the ferns Nephrolepis biser- are more important for home consumption than
Special Park Com- for cash income. Only about 18 % of the total
mittee Workshop in rata (Paku kubok) and Stenochlaena palustris production of the six target NTFP’s is sold and
Maludam village (Paku midin) which are eaten as vegetable, for the most part by primary producers them-
– The Special Park the herbs Donax cannaefornis (Bembam) and selves and largely to other villagers and at vil-
Committee was Pandanus vinaceus (Pandan or Mengkuang) lage markets. The production of relatively small
established for which are used as raw materials for making volumes makes it costly to transport products
Maludam National handicraft products and various parts of the to town markets. Trading of fruit (Eleiodoxa
Park to promote conferta), vegetables (Nephrolepis biserrata and
communities palm Licuala petiolulata which are used as Stenochlaena palustris) and handicraft products
participation in the vegetable (shoot), for wrapping (leaves) and made of grass (Pandanus vinaceus) represents
management of for sea ishing equipment (stem). the most important source of income. In Iban
the park. communities in the Maludam area, selling stems
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31
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Maludam National Park
Peat swamp forests not only produce timber. Population estimates from 2002 show that
Many diferent non-timber forest products the Iban population living in the vicinity of
(NTFP) are used by local people.In a recent Maludam National Park consists of approxi-
study the socio-economic value of NTFP’s for mately 1,115 people. They live in about 12 long-
houses situated in the Maludam and Seduku/
local village communities was assessed through Lingga complexes of communities around the
a rapid diagnostic appraisal, which was car- park area, comprising approximately a total of
ried out in three Iban communities in the area 250 households.
around Maludam National Park: the relatively
isolated Rumah Tanjung Baru, located in the There are few employment opportunities in the
north, alongside the Maludam River near the area, except for short term and often seasonal
employment as labourers. The major source of
coastal settlement Maludam, and the Rumah income for the Iban population is rice and co-
Johnson and Rumah Lau, both located in the conut cultivation. Other crops grown are maize
south, between the Lupar River and the road and a great variety of fruits and vegetables.
connecting the nearby settlement Lingga to Sri Fresh water ishing is a minor-income generat-
Aman. The appraisal was followed by a survey ing activity. However, timber and non-timber
on six NTFP’s (see box 4.1) that are commonly forest products are important sources of income.
Trading of agricultural products, ish and forest
used by the Iban population in the area and products is limited to local and regional mar-
have commercial value. Their importance to the kets, either by the primary producers themselves
community’s subsistence and cash incomes was or with involvement of intermediary traders who
estimated. buy from them and sell on to larger-volume trad-
ers in nearby towns.
The role of NTFP’s in the Iban
BOX IV. Non-timber forest products of household economy
peat swamp forests Non-timber forest products are widely used by
members of Iban village communities. More
Non-timber forest products used by the than 200 plant species provide them with fruits,
people in the Maludam area include fruits of vegetables, medicines and material inputs for
the palm Eleiodoxa conferta (Maram or Asam construction, furniture and equipment. NTFP’s
Paya), leaves of the ferns Nephrolepis biser- are more important for home consumption than
Special Park Com- for cash income. Only about 18 % of the total
mittee Workshop in rata (Paku kubok) and Stenochlaena palustris production of the six target NTFP’s is sold and
Maludam village (Paku midin) which are eaten as vegetable, for the most part by primary producers them-
– The Special Park the herbs Donax cannaefornis (Bembam) and selves and largely to other villagers and at vil-
Committee was Pandanus vinaceus (Pandan or Mengkuang) lage markets. The production of relatively small
established for which are used as raw materials for making volumes makes it costly to transport products
Maludam National handicraft products and various parts of the to town markets. Trading of fruit (Eleiodoxa
Park to promote conferta), vegetables (Nephrolepis biserrata and
communities palm Licuala petiolulata which are used as Stenochlaena palustris) and handicraft products
participation in the vegetable (shoot), for wrapping (leaves) and made of grass (Pandanus vinaceus) represents
management of for sea ishing equipment (stem). the most important source of income. In Iban
the park. communities in the Maludam area, selling stems
30
31
30 31
