5.4.6 Q6: Do You Benefit from Payments for Ecosystem
Services?
By far, the most incomprehensible question was this one (followed by Fair Trade in
Q4). The interviewer had to explain – with few exceptions – what this meant in their
own words at almost all of the follow-ups. In reality, this question should have been
omitted from the study, that concerned only small-scale farmers. Payments for
Ecosystem Services is practiced more by large landowners, since payments are
based on the acreage forested that is being set aside – so that land size matters.
Most people (106 participants or 88%) answered ‘No’ here without further elaboration. Those that did say more, in some cases, provided commentary on unrelated
aspects. This observation also indicates confusion in understanding this question.
Those who responded positively tended to connect it to CoopeAgri. One person
explained that: ‘Some people came long time ago – they gave some trees to replant
and 100,000 colones in equipment’ (SE40) – also (SI08): ‘A few years ago, they
gave some trees (likes to have trees)’; similarly (MO10): ‘CoopeAgri gave . . . some
trees’. One individual mentioned that he: ‘Participated with CoopeAgri for conservation of [the] Penas Blancas River’ (QA16); likewise: ‘A few years – with
CoopeAgri’ (SF06). A participant was closely aware of it: ‘No, but . . . knows
about that because [works] for the cooperative’ (SI06). Another participant
commented that: ‘No, but Amacobas produce 500 trees per year for Blue Flag’
(QA09). In a couple of instances, those participants who admitted to not knowing
about this, wished to learn more (e.g., SI10).
5.4.7 Q7: Have You Ever Been Approached Before
to Complete a Survey or an Interview?
Some 26 participants (22%) had not been interviewed before and this was their first
interview. It was important to ascertain this because of the phenomenon of ‘interview exhaustion’ that could occur within a community such as this one that is linked
to a university. A few people noted that Los Cusingos had dropped by as well as
more commonly students – mostly from York University.
5.5 Conclusions
This chapter has provided some reassurance that the case study brings a novel
contribution by reaching almost a quarter of new participants in the study area. It
also conveys a lack of familiarity among case study participants regarding concepts
such Payments for Ecosystem Services and Fair Trade. Perhaps this is the product of
individual familiarity of farmers, however, and does not really reflect the knowledge
5.5 Conclusions
79
Services?
By far, the most incomprehensible question was this one (followed by Fair Trade in
Q4). The interviewer had to explain – with few exceptions – what this meant in their
own words at almost all of the follow-ups. In reality, this question should have been
omitted from the study, that concerned only small-scale farmers. Payments for
Ecosystem Services is practiced more by large landowners, since payments are
based on the acreage forested that is being set aside – so that land size matters.
Most people (106 participants or 88%) answered ‘No’ here without further elaboration. Those that did say more, in some cases, provided commentary on unrelated
aspects. This observation also indicates confusion in understanding this question.
Those who responded positively tended to connect it to CoopeAgri. One person
explained that: ‘Some people came long time ago – they gave some trees to replant
and 100,000 colones in equipment’ (SE40) – also (SI08): ‘A few years ago, they
gave some trees (likes to have trees)’; similarly (MO10): ‘CoopeAgri gave . . . some
trees’. One individual mentioned that he: ‘Participated with CoopeAgri for conservation of [the] Penas Blancas River’ (QA16); likewise: ‘A few years – with
CoopeAgri’ (SF06). A participant was closely aware of it: ‘No, but . . . knows
about that because [works] for the cooperative’ (SI06). Another participant
commented that: ‘No, but Amacobas produce 500 trees per year for Blue Flag’
(QA09). In a couple of instances, those participants who admitted to not knowing
about this, wished to learn more (e.g., SI10).
5.4.7 Q7: Have You Ever Been Approached Before
to Complete a Survey or an Interview?
Some 26 participants (22%) had not been interviewed before and this was their first
interview. It was important to ascertain this because of the phenomenon of ‘interview exhaustion’ that could occur within a community such as this one that is linked
to a university. A few people noted that Los Cusingos had dropped by as well as
more commonly students – mostly from York University.
5.5 Conclusions
This chapter has provided some reassurance that the case study brings a novel
contribution by reaching almost a quarter of new participants in the study area. It
also conveys a lack of familiarity among case study participants regarding concepts
such Payments for Ecosystem Services and Fair Trade. Perhaps this is the product of
individual familiarity of farmers, however, and does not really reflect the knowledge
5.5 Conclusions
79