Wavell Standa-Gunda and Oliver Braedt 197higher rate than the prevailing local wage rates and so it is entirely rational
for them to purchase wood rather than to collect it themselves. This explanation
is supported by studies of the woodcarving sector in South Africa, which have
estimated that the time taken to harvest timber was the single biggest cost
facing a wood carver (Shackleton 1996).
This simple model was further used to investigate the likely impact of the
introduction of fiscal incentives for conservation. In practice the simplest form
of fiscal tool would be a levy or stumpage fee paid by the carver or wood
harvester to the community controlling the resource. To the carvers these fees
would increase the costs of wood. Based on the FC’s stumpage fee at the timeMean Other Total Price of Net Net
price of costs cost carving margin return on
wood recurrent (US$/ (US$/ (US$/ labour
(US$/ (US$/ carving) carving) carving) (US$/hour)
carving**) carving)
Based on 4.89 18.53 23.42 45.16 21.73 0.92
expected
sale price***;
no stumpage
fees
Based on 4.89 18.53 23.42 41.09 17.67 0.75
adjusted
sale price***;
no stumpage
fees
Based on 12.53 18.53 31.06 41.09 10.29 0.43
adjusted
sale price;
US$400/m^3
stumpage
fees
Based on 22.57 18.53 41.10 41.09 –0.01 0.00
adjusted
sale price;
US$1,918/m^3
stumpage
feesTable 4. Net returns on labour from carving a hippopotamus from Afzelia
quanzensis (n = 54)** At the time of the market survey US$1 = Z$11.30. On average each carving takes 23.7 hours.
** The first five data columns are expressed on a ‘per carving’ basis, where the average
volume of log used for a carving was 0.108 m^3 , whilst the average final product produced was
0.043m^3.
***For each carving in the survey an expected price was solicited from the carver. The adjusted
price represents the price more likely received. The adjustment was done through a survey of
carvings for which expected and actual selling prices were available.11woodcarving.p65 197 22/12/2004, 11:05