Table 5 Major ecosystem services from community forests perceived as important by the Adi community
Ecosystem services and resources | Multiple %a | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Most important | Important | Least important | |
1. Provisioning services | |||
 Bamboo/toko leaves (multiple use such as fencing, income, constructions, etc.) | 75.56 | 20.65 | 6.60 |
 Ethnic foods (vegetables, insects and wild games) | 75.34 | 24.66 | 2.23 |
 Ethnomedicines | 85.89 | 14.11 | 2.40 |
 Fish and other aquatic animals (from ecological edges of forest steams) | 67.56 | 30.89 | 1.55 |
 Fodder | 67.89 | 20.65 | 8.95 |
 Fuel wood | 80.35 | 15.45 | 7.56 |
 Grass (for thatching) | 68.90 | 20.15 | 7.64 |
 Gravels for road and other constructions | 40.98 | 35.67 | 17.54 |
 Land for housing and fields | 79.45 | 18.45 | 5.4 |
 Poles (used for house constructions) | 82.60 | 18.90 | 4.34 |
 Reeds (used in mats) | 45.67 | 38.98 | 13.54 |
 Rope (multipurpose use) | 50.50 | 40.98 | 8.52 |
 Timber (for house and local sale) | 70.45 | 25.43 | 4.12 |
 Water (for irrigation, and drinking) | 95.00 | 00.00 | 1.12 |
 Wood (used in making implements, etc.) | 55.46 | 35.78 | 9.43 |
2. Cultural services | |||
 Aesthetic value (now eco-tourism is increasing) | 60.50 | 15.0 | 00.0 |
 Place for celebrating indigenous festivals | 65.98 | 20.45 | 9.43 |
 Place for hunting | 90.55 | 09.45 | 3.30 |
3.Regulatory and supporting services | |||
 Control of soil erosion/land slides | 75.0 | 25.0 | 00.0 |
 Flood control (intense and torrential rains) | 70.0 | 30.0 | 00.0 |
 Leaf litters for soil fertility, and soil availability for jhum crops | 80.55 | 19.45 | 2.12 |
 Maintaining micro-ecosystem (to conserve valuable plant and animal species, and moderation of drought & extended dry-spell | 69.70 | 27.89 | 2.41 |