Introduction: Working Forests in the Tropics: Policy and Market Impacts on Conservation and Management

Abstract

Tropical forests are very rich in biological diversity and form an important economic and ecological resource. This biodiversity is of great value for communities living in or near these forests as a ready source of subsistence and cash income, and for the world at large as a source of tropical timber and non-timber products and a repository of genetic and chemical information. However, this biological complexity is diminishing rapidly. We analyze the main human (anthropogenic) actions causing loss of tropical forest biodiversity along with the strategies of management for forest biodiversity. Not only is the biophysical component important in management for biodiversity, but the active participation and support of local people, national governments, and the international community as a whole are essential to effective and sustainable development of tropical forests. This development strategy ensures that socioeconomic and environmental benefits are provided for present and future generations.     

Agroforestry development: An environmental economic perspective

Agroforestry Systems - Agroforestry systems (AFS) provide a mix of market goods and nonmarket goods and services. We postulate that if nonmarket goods and services can be internalized to the...     

Developing Sustainability Indicators for Woody Biomass Harvesting in the United States

Bioenergy production has increased significantly in the last decade, and recent legislative efforts such as the discussion draft for the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 and the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act. (2007). H. R. 6: 110th United States Congress. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h6enr.txt.pdf (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h6enr.txt.pdf)  [Google Scholar] are expected to encourage even more growth. The growing demand for bioenergy will necessitate production of large quantities of woody biomass and plant residues if it is to be met. However, concerns are being raised as to how increased pressures will affect the sustainability of woody biomass. In order to avoid potential pitfalls and ensure the sustainability of wood-based bioenergy systems, a set of sustainability indicators needs to be developed. Some of these indicators can be based on standards similar to those developed for sustainable forest management, energy balances, greenhouse gas emission reductions, and existing codes and guidelines for biomass harvesting. This article discusses a potential set of sustainability indicators encompassing ecological, economic, and social principles for harvesting woody biomass for bioenergy. The extent to which existing standards and certification systems reflect these indicators is elaborated upon. Methods for making these standards operational are also suggested.     

Agroforestry adoption and maintenance: self-efficacy, attitudes and socio-economic factors

Agroforestry is a key land use in the development of ecological corridors in tropical rainforests biomes. This research tested the social dimensions of agroforestry adoption and maintenance in the Atlantic rainforest of Southern Bahia, Brazil. A quasi-experiment research design compared a group of farmers who participated in an agroforestry development program with a group of similar farmers who were not participants in the program. The effects of the program on the participants’ self-efficacy, attitudes and intentions to adopt or maintain agroforestry were tested. The effects of socio-economic factors and attitudes were also compared to self-efficacy in terms of farmers’ intentions to adopt or maintain agroforestry. Results indicate that the program neither raised nor lowered the farmers’ attitudes, self-efficacy or intentions to adopt or maintain agroforestry. However, multiple regression and logistic model analyses indicate that perceived behavioral control, attitudes about conservation and available labor contributed most significantly to farmers’ intentions to adopt or maintain agroforestry. Overall, perceived behavioral control proved to have the most significant correlation with farmers’ intentions to adopt or maintain agroforestry. Therefore, agroforestry development programs could benefit from focusing on farmers’ perceived control of certain behaviors to enhance the persistence of agroforestry practices.     

Socioeconomic research in agroforestry: a decade in review

Agroforestry research in academia and government and non-governmental agencies began by focusing on biophysical aspects. As this science represents a series of practices implemented by individual farmers, it requires in-depth social and economic analyses to assess economic feasibility of agroforestry systems, factors influencing the adoption of agroforestry, monitor the relevance and effectiveness of investigations, and guide future research efforts. This study presents literature dealing with socioeconomic issues in agroforestry research from interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and gray literature from 1992 to 2002. Over 500 publications were analyzed to determine relative dominance of geographical regions, types of analyses, agroforestry technologies, and socioeconomic issues. Trends were examined over time and by region. Overall, the body of literature exhibits an increasing trend toward regional and analytical diversity over time. Some deficiencies of regional and thematic nature were observed, which included underrepresented temperate regions and technologies such as riparian buffers, as well as only a small number of papers dealing with gender and property rights. These suggest opportunities for future investigations.     

A computable general equilibrium analysis of forest concessions in Brazil

The management of natural forests in Brazil is concentrated in the states of the Legal Amazon with almost all legal timber extraction occurring on private land. While the government has historically promoted the development of forest plantations through economic incentives, state involvement with natural forests has focused on regulation. Over 1 million km² in the Legal Amazon have been identified as suitable for the production of forest goods and services and other resource-based activities (Veríssimo et al., 2000, p. 6). Only recently, however, has the state taken action to harness the potential this vast public resource holds for promoting sustainable development. In March 2006, the Public Forest Management Law was passed by the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. A key feature of this law is a framework for creating forest concessions on public lands. With the goal of establishing up to 13 million ha of forest concessions by the end of the decade, such an initiative for the development of the forest sector is unprecedented in Brazilian history, marking the state's recognition of the Amazon's vocation as one of forest-based development.A static computable general equilibrium (CGE) model is developed to evaluate the short-run socio-economic and environmental implications of implementing forest concessions in the Brazilian Amazon. Results indicate that household income and private consumption increase with the implementation of forest concessions. With the expansion of natural forest management in the north, forest plantations contract significantly in all regions and to a lesser degree, natural forest management in the north east and center west. As forest plantations demand less agricultural land for production, the price of agricultural land decreases and the excess supply is taken up by the agricultural sector which pays less for the land and consequently produces more of a less expensive product. The implementation of forest concessions results in a 3.8% increase in legal deforestation with the largest increase in the north, followed by the north east and center west.     

Economics of intercropping loblolly pine and switchgrass for bioenergy markets in the southeastern United States

The main objective of this study was to assess the economics of alley cropping of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the southern United States. Assuming a price range of switchgrass between $15 and $50?Mg^?1 and yield of 12?Mg?ha^?1 year^?1, we investigated the effect of switchgrass production on the optimal forest management for loblolly pine stands under different stumpage prices. We considered the following potential scenarios: no competition between species for resources; reduced loblolly pine productivity due to competition with switchgrass; and reduced productivity of both species due to competition for nutrients, water and light. Findings also suggested that the optimal system would depend on the competitive interactions between switchgrass and loblolly pine crops, and the expected prices for each crop. Loblolly pine monoculture would be the most profitable option for landowners compared to intercropping systems with switchgrass below $30?Mg^?1. However, when switchgrass prices are ??$30?Mg^?1, landowners would be financially better off adopting intercropping if competitive interaction between crops were minimal. In order to realize higher economic returns for intercropping system, forest landowners must make some efforts in order to diminish the decline of productivity.     

Marker-assisted introgression of QTLs for yield under moisture stress into elite varieties of rice (Oryza sativa)

Rice production is severely constrained by the moisture stress. The present study was undertaken to transfer two important QTLs viz., (qDTY2.2 and qDTY4.1), which controls yield under moisture stress (DTY) into two elite varieties, that is, MTU1010 and NLR34449 through marker-assisted breeding. Foreground and background selections of backcross generations, that is, BC₁F₁, BC₂F₁ and BC₂F₂ identified several promising introgression lines (ILs) with two QTLs and single QTLs with an appreciable level of recovery of recipient parent genome. In ILs, the recovery of MTU1010 genome content was estimated to be 83%–93% while the recovery of NLR34449 was 84%–92%. The two-QTL ILs of MTU1010 and NLR34449 backgrounds (qDTY2.2 and qDTY4.1) have shown substantial yield advantage (32 to 84%) over the single-QTL ILs (either qDTY2.2 or qDTY4.1) under moisture stress conditions. Among all, two ILs, MBC-124 and NBC-127 are the best high yielding lines under moisture stress conditions. These outyielded ILs have the potential to be released as varieties in rainfed ecosystem and also can be used as donors in the existing breeding programme in rice.