Woodfuel Harvesting and Use

In Cam Xuyen District - Ha Tinh Province Viet Nam

Center for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Viet Nam National University, Hanoi

by Pamela McElwee

Table of Contents

Woodfuel harvesting and use was analyzed during a three-month research period in the District of Cam Xuyen, Ha Tinh Province, north-central Viet Nam. Using a variety of methods, including a 200-household survey questionnaire, the use and supply of woodfuel and other energy alternatives was explored. The results indicate that almost 100% of households in Cam Xuyen rely on the use of woodfuel to some degree or another. The average per capita fuelwood use was found to be similar to that estimated in previous studies on woodfuel in Viet Nam, at around 2.3 kg fuelwood per day. The use of woodfuel for cooking both human meals and animal feed was widespread, with the consumption of fuelwood for cooking animal feed exceeding that for humans. The supply of woodfuel in Cam Xuyen comes from a variety of sources, including private gardens, public state-owned lands, including the nearby Ke Go Nature Reserve, and bare hills. Based on our calculations, while fuelwood use is fairly evenly matched with supply, and therefore there is no current shortage of fuelwood, this may not be the case in the future if fuelwood demand rises. The large number of lands in Cam Xuyen that are designated as 'special use', and therefore not to be exploited, has a large impact on supply. Furthermore, our study found that a significant amount of charcoal harvesting is having a disproportionate impact on forests in the area, likely contributing to more degradation than fuelwood harvesting alone. The report concludes with suggestion for several lines of intervention to address both woodfuel supply and use into the future.

Table of Contents
	Executive Summary
	Acknowledgments
1.	Introduction
2.	Overview of Woodfuel Use in Viet Nam
3.	Overview of Research Area of Cam Xuyen
4.	Overview on Study Areas
5.	Consumption of Fuel Wood
6.	Fuel Wood Species Use and Preferences
7.	Woodfuel Flows and Trade in Woodfuel
8.	Analysis of The Charcoal Industry
9.	Woodfuel Production and Land Tenure Systems
10.	Role of Energy Substitutes
11.	Gender Issues
12.	Conclusions and Recommendations
	Bibliography
Annex 1:	Details on Study Villages
Annex 2:	Local and Scientific Names for Common Fuel Wood Species in Cam Xuyen
Annex 3:	Timetable of Research Trips to Ha Tinh
Annex 4:	Participants in Field Surveys
Annex 5:	Methods and Questionnaires Used

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