Alternatives to Deforestation explores some of the possible sustainable uses of the world's largest rain forest, the Amazon. The collection by scientists, policymakers, and foundations presents innovative approaches and technologies that will permit simultaneous use and conservation of the rain forest, and will benefit the population of Amazonia as a whole, rather than just a small rural minority. By presenting sustainable land-use alternatives that are both economically viable and ecologically sound, this book represents a valuable contribution in the effort to end the tragic consequences of tropical deforestation.

A multi-disciplinary team of authors analyze the economics of Brazilian deforestation using a large data set of ecological and economic variables. They survey the most up to date work in this field and present their own dynamic and spatial econometric analysis based on municipality level panel data spanning the entire Brazilian Amazon from 1970 to 1996. By observing the dynamics of land use change over such a long period the team is able to provide quantitative estimates of the long-run economic costs and benefits of both land clearing and government policies such as road building. The authors find that some government policies, such as road paving in already highly settled areas, are beneficial both for economic development and for the preservation of forest, while other policies, such as the construction of unpaved roads through virgin areas, stimulate wasteful land uses to the detriment of both economic growth and forest cover.

This work evaluates the merits of a widely-used approach to natural resource management, participatory action research (PAR), an approach to resource management that strives to link researchers with farmers and other local residents whose lives are effected by long-range conservation programmes. The authors begin the book with the history of PAR, and then use a variety of case studies that chronicle sustainable development efforts in Brazil. They evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these efforts and suggest specific ways to improve on future PAR efforts.

This book has been developed from a workshop on Technological change in agriculture and tropical deforestation organised by the Center for International Forestry Research and held in Costa Rica in March, 1999. It explores how intensification of agriculture affects tropical deforestation using case studies from different geographical regions, using different agricultural products and technologies and in differing demographic situations and market conditions. Guidance is also given on future agricultural research and extension efforts.

Agriculture in developing countries has been remarkably productive during the last few decades; however, the production levels were achieved at the cost of placing more stress on natural resources and the environment. This volume brings together state-of-the-art applied, practical research related to agriculture, development, and the environment in the developing world. It attempts to distill current knowledge and to summarize it in readable form for development practitioners. Where possible, authors use specific examples to indicate which approaches have worked and which have not, under which conditions, and why.

Types of economic deforestation models. Household and firm-level models. Regional-level models. National and macro-level models. Priority areas for future research.

The depletion of the tropical rain forests has attracted considerable attention in recent times, and the serious consequences for the global biosphere are widely acknowledged. Yet deforestation continues apace, and in some areas (for example, southeast Asia) the very existence of the forests is seriously threatened. Contrary to popular belief, evidence suggests that local economic and living conditions are more significant in this than timber exploitation for exports to the Northern countries. Tropical Deforestation - A Socio-Economic Approach offers a new perspective on the economic imperatives which encourage indigenous populations to encroach upon their own forests, and shows how action against deforestation must form part of a wider movement to improve both the living conditions of the local inhabitants and the durability of their national economies. Part 1 offers an overview of the processes surrounding deforestation, and an assessment of the current situation. Part 2 analyses the land-use issues, and explains the socioeconomic imperatives in the affected regions. In an absorbing conclusion. Part 3 guides the reader through a series of hypothetical policy scenarios, using a specially adapted economic computer model, to predict which combinations of policies and trade arrangements might bring about a more beneficial state of affairs.