Community forest and mushrooms: Collective action initiatives in rural areas of Galicia

Abstract

Galicia is a region situated in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula where community forests are very much spread. This kind of ownership is held by local communities that, collectively, decide how to manage the forest and its mycological resources as part of its non-timber forest products. In this work, we characterize and analyse the existing governance modalities for the collective use of mycological resources in both their material and immaterial aspects, and we do it by applying a social-ecological system framework combined with a knowledge economy model. Up to 21 mycological use initiatives have been identified and inventoried. Most of them manage the common resource through mycological reserves (open or closed), but there are others that produce and sell mushrooms. The work shows how communities use their governance mechanisms to define rules aimed at improving sustainability and the influx of revenues. In addition, we analyse how some of these initiatives are starting to manage their common immaterial resources (associated with values such as quality and with ecocertifications, etc.), and to develop innovative strategies (short supply chains) for the purpose of improving their position in the value chain. The text discusses community management as a strategy that allows combining sustainability objectives in the management of mycological resources with the raising of revenues in the long term. Finally, we underline the need for public policies that support successful experiences and strengthen the capacity of community institutions to appropriate the value they generate.