ABSTRACT
While the role of fallow forests has been the subject to numerous studies, this chapter examines the fallow and riparian forests in a mountainous area of northern Laos. This study reports on the local value of fallow and riparian forests, by which the environment is easily overlooked. In addition, cluster analysis was used to compare species composition between riparian and fallow forests. Cluster analysis of similarity data indicated that all quadrats primarily separated into two groups i.e. fallow and riparian forests, whereas one quadrat along the Chuk stream was exceptionally similar to those of fallow forests. The soil conditions and the vegetation of fallow and riparian forests varied greatly. In the present study, 15 and 25-year-old fallow forests were surveyed, and bamboo may have been rare prior to the flowering. The study described herein focused on fallow and riparian forests and described their different vegetation characteristics and their role in the livelihood of the local people.
