Classifying tree and non-tree farmers for improving of agroforestry systems using a discriminant analytical approach

Resumo

Non-industrial private forestry owners (NIPFo) represent the most forest and wooded lands, as well as timber supply in several forest European regions. In Galicia, a Northwest Spanish community, there are registered more than 670000 NIPFo on a total area around 1200000 ha. Farmers to main title, although they are experimented a notable decline during the last years, constitute the main profile of Galician NIPFo. This article presents a statistical model and empirical evidences of the factors that determine forest behaviour and management by farmers. From 245 variables collected by a personal survey questionnaire to more than 4300 Galician farmers, a factorial discriminant analysis was used in the empirical study for classifying significant farmer groups by forestland owned. The results suggest that variables associated with geographical location of the farm, the pattern of land acquisition, the economic dependence of farm activity and the agroforestry size are key determinants of the forest behaviour, management and relevance for the farmers. Moreover, the study provides useful information and recommendations to new actuation patterns and allocation aids by the public Administration in the future development of the agroforestry activities by individual tree farmers.