Using secondary data from a socio‐economic quantitative household survey of the North Central region of Vietnam, the main aim of our study is to analyze the causal effect of forest resources on household income and poverty. Based on the observed characteristics of a forest‐based livelihood and forest‐related activities, we use a propensity score matching (PSM) method to control for potential bias arising from self‐selection. The PSM results indicate that households with a forest‐based livelihood had a higher level of income and lower poverty rates than did those without. Interestingly, our findings confirm that a forest‐based livelihood offers much higher income than any other type of livelihood adopted by local households. Also, the poverty rate among households with a forest‐based livelihood is lower than those earning non‐labor income or engaged in wage/crop and crop livelihoods. Among households and provinces, we find varying opportunities deriving from forest resources, suggesting that there are potential barriers hindering local households from pursuing a forest livelihood or participating in some forest activities. Therefore, government policy and regulations on forest management should focus on improving the access of households to forest resources, while enhancing the sustainability of these resources.

中文翻译：

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森林资源和家庭福利：来自越南中北部的经验证据

利用越南北部中部地区社会经济定量家庭调查的二次数据，我们的主要研究目的是分析森林资源对家庭收入和贫困的因果关系。基于观察到的基于森林的生计和与森林相关的活动的特征，我们使用倾向得分匹配（PSM）方法来控制自我选择引起的潜在偏见。PSM结果表明，有森林为生的家庭比没有森林的家庭收入更高，贫困率更低。有趣的是，我们的发现证实，以森林为基础的生计提供的收入要比当地家庭采用的任何其他类型的生计高得多。也，以森林为生的家庭的贫困率低于那些没有劳动收入或从事工资/农作物和农作物为生的家庭。在家庭和省份之间，我们发现森林资源带来了各种机会，这表明存在潜在的障碍，阻碍了当地家庭从事森林生计或参加一些森林活动。因此，政府有关森林管理的政策和法规应集中在改善家庭获得森林资源的途径上，同时增强这些资源的可持续性。这表明存在潜在的障碍，阻碍了当地家庭追求森林生计或参加一些森林活动。因此，政府有关森林管理的政策和法规应集中在改善家庭获得森林资源的途径上，同时增强这些资源的可持续性。这表明存在潜在的障碍，阻碍了当地家庭追求森林生计或参加一些森林活动。因此，政府关于森林管理的政策和法规应集中在改善家庭获得森林资源的途径上，同时增强这些资源的可持续性。