Methods for estimating forest income and their challenges

Income measures are increasingly used as an indicator of the well-being of forest villagers, their use of forest products, and even the value of a for est. The methods for estimating income are often underreported, however, an d little analysis is available of the methods required to measure income. T en case studies are examined to demonstrate methods in use for quantifying household income. The cases are used to investigate techniques for overcomi ng two common methodological obstacles: (1) the cost elf collecting data ab out many: diverse and distant sources of income from the forest, and (2) th e difficulty of aggregating the monetary values of products. The strengths and weaknesses of the techniques are discussed to hell, researchers identif y methods appropriate to their needs. The article concludes that (]) costs are most effectively reduced where the number of products studied is limite d and methods based on indirect observation are used; (2) aggregating the m onetary value of a mix of market and subsistence products requires sensitiv ity to the limitations of the methods; and (3) addressing the diversity of values that forest products provide to people might provide a more accurate estimation of income.