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Text Box: Importance of the rainforest for local communities Traditionally, the local people divide the forest into land for integrated orchard gardens, land for rotational farming, land for the collection of timber and non-timber forest products, grazing land for the animals, flat paddy farmland, and the land of old growth forest. Farmers and gardeners have relied on the forest for generations. They could not survive without the forest because the forest provides them with fuel, food, herbs, fodder, and shelter. Indirectly, forests maintain the quality of water in the wells, and keep the streams flowing fresh and cool. It keeps the weather balanced so the farmers get good crops. There are three main sources of livelihood for the people in Toungoo district: flat paddy farming, traditional rotational farming and integrated orchard gardening. Local people traditionally conserved the forest through these three main livelihoods. People in Tantibin Township of Toungoo district know very well how to survive in the forest and how to use the forest sustainably. Flat paddy farmers do farming in the flat areas and they need the water from the streams and good weather conditions. In the hot season, they collect enough fuel for the whole year for cooking and making fire. Some of them collect the wood/bamboo for making or repairing their shelters, buildings or furniture. Many of them collect supplementary foods, herbs, and Ter leaves (leaves for making roofs) from the forest. Many poor people make an income by the sale of Ter leaves in the hot season. Traditional rotational farmers do farming on the mountainside of forest areas. The products from rotational farming depend on weather conditions and whether there is enough time to let the plots lay fallow for at least seven years. They don't cut all the forests on the mountain. Traditionally, some forest areas such as the forest in the high mountains and cool and wet areas, the forest in the rocky valleys, and the forest near the village watersheds are kept intact. Mountain ridge is traditionally left and is believed to be used as passageways for the spirits. Old growth trees grow in these forest areas and many different kinds of animal species live there. Local people collect NTFPs such as seasonal food, herbs and honey in these forests. It makes life easier if one can get supplementary food from the old growth forests. Most of the rotational farmers in Tantibin district make their houses and roofs with bamboo. They make basketry or household materials from bamboo and cane. Women collect sticky liquid from trees to dye their woven cloth. Farmers usually make bamboo traps around their farms. They mostly collect dead wood in the rotational farm for fuel. They do not do any logging in the forest. Integrated orchard gardeners establish their gardens in the valley along the streams. They don't need to destroy the forest to make the garden. They clear some small trees and plants and they replant the terrain with local species of fruit trees. Every hot season, they have to irrigate the garden so water in the streams is very important for the orchards, especially for gardens with betel nut and durian trees. The shade of big trees is very important to protect baby plants from the sun in the hot season. Wild banana trees are important to maintain the water in gardens. The gardeners plant many different kinds of fruit trees. They don't clear all the wild plants and trees in the garden. They let them grow up with the fruit trees and they let the betel pepper vine (its leaves are eaten with betel nut) climb up around the trees. Betel nut trees, betel nut leaves, mangosteen, durian, cardamom and coffee are fruit trees grown for income generation. The money generated on the market is used to buy rice and household necessities. Gardeners also collect supplementary food in the forest and use bamboo and wood like the rotational farmers. All of the farmers and gardeners are totally dependent on the forest because it provides them with shelter, food, and medicine. Bamboo and wood provides building materials, household materials and fuel. The people use the bamboo shoots for food and some trees provide traditional medicine. The forest maintains the weather conditions and water supply necessary for rotational farmers, flat farmers and orchard gardeners. Social and ecological impacts of deforestation on environment and local communities Deforestation in Toungoo district has serious impacts on the people and the environment. It affects the local people's livelihoods both directly and indi

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