Wood Harvesting Practices

Outcome

% of target population who declare harvesting wood for cooking and/or construction

This indicator measures the proportion of the target population that relies on self-harvested wood for cooking and/or construction. It is used to assess the extent to which project activities contribute to reducing pressure on local forest and vegetation resources and associated environmental and protection risks (e.g. deforestation, land degradation, exposure to protection risks during wood collection).

Collect the following data by conducting individual interviews with respondents from a representative sample of target households:

 

RECOMMENDED SURVEY QUESTIONS (Q) AND POSSIBLE ANSWERS (A)

Q1: In the past [specify timeframe – e.g. 30 days], did anyone in your household collect or cut wood from the environment (e.g., forest, bushland, fields) for cooking?

A1: Yes / No / Don’t know

 

Q2: In the past [specify timeframe – e.g. 30 days], did anyone in your household collect or cut wood from the environment for construction or shelter / household repairs (e.g., poles, posts, beams)?

A2: Yes / No / Don’t know

 

 

To calculate the indicator value, divide the number of respondents who responded “Yes” to Q1 or Q2 (or both) by the total number of respondents (exclude those who responded “Don’t know”). Multiply the result by 100 to convert it to a percentage.

The data can be disaggregated by:

   - purpose of wood harvesting: cooking / construction / both

   - household type or vulnerability category (e.g. female-headed households, displacement status)

   - geographic area / site (e.g. settlement, camp, village)

1) Self-reported behaviour: This indicator relies on self-reported data and may be subject to social desirability bias, especially in contexts where wood harvesting is restricted or discouraged. Neutral question wording and trained enumerators can help mitigate this risk.

 

2) Harvesting vs. purchasing: The indicator captures self-harvesting of wood only. Households that purchase wood or receive it through organised supply systems should not be counted unless they also collect or cut wood themselves.

3) This indicator is binary (used / did not use wood), so it may not reflect situations where households reduce - but do not fully stop - using self-harvested wood (e.g., partial substitution with gas). To capture such progress, you may optionally calculate the share of meal cooking/heating events using self-harvested wood. Ask respondents who reported using self-harvested wood for cooking the following questions, using a 2-day recall period:

Q1: Thinking of yesterday and the day before yesterday (the last 2 days), how many times did your household cook or heat food in total?

A1: ____ times

Q2: In the same 2 days, how many of those cooking/heating times used self-harvested wood as the main fuel?

A2: ____ times

To calculate the overall intensity of wood use for the surveyed group, sum Q2 across all respondents, divide by the sum of Q1 across all respondents, and then multiply the result by 100 to get a percentage.

4) Recall period: For the main questions, use the same recall period (e.g. past 30 days) at baseline and endline to allow meaningful comparison over time.

 

5) Unit of analysis: Although the indicator refers to the “target population”, data are collected at household level based on responses from one knowledgeable household member. Results therefore represent the percentage of households in the target population that harvest wood.

 

6) The target value is expected to decrease over time as a result of project activities such as the provision of energy-efficient cooking technologies, alternative fuels, sustainable construction materials, or access to regulated fuel supply systems.