Deforestation

Does the diagnosis of irreversible destruction of both forests and their biodiversity actually mask a wide range of patterns? Based on the results of natural and social scientists, this book attempts to answer fundamental questions such as: what is deforestation and how do we mesure it? What changes result from deforestation and how do human societies manage these changes? It explores the many and varied aspects of deforestation, a process whose effects are not always as negative as perceived.

The only quantitative deforestation study to focus on one country, this case analysis of the Philippines since 1946 yields more concrete data than previous cross-national studies. David Kummer's close examination of the interactions among political, economic, and cultural factors and their environmental consequences sheds light on similar situations in other countries.

This study addresses the now familiar problem of topical deforestation from an unfamiliar angle. More specifically, the author focuses on the time factor in the natural regeneration of the tropical rain forest. He examines the economics and practical implications of the very long period of time needed for such forests to regrow, and concludes that the tyranny of time makes it unlikely that the process of deforestation in the tropical rain forest countries can be halted.

Tropical Deforestation introduces readers to the important concepts for understanding the environmental challenges and consequences of the deforestation. Contributions from scientists and academics in the social sciences and humanities provide readers with an initial 'tool kit' for understanding the concepts central to their disciplinary perspective and the multi-dimensional aspects of deforestation.

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

This work offers a detailed case study on the dynamics of forest use, degradation, and loss in Northeast Luzon, Philippines. Following an interdisciplinary approach, the study charts the degradation and loss of forest in this area between 1950 and 1990, as it relates to the social and political context of logging, forest migration, and changes in upland agriculture. Based on ten years of research, the author introduces us to the actions, livelihood options, and motives of all the principal group of actors.

Annotation This title studies the role of cattle ranching its dynamic and profitability in the expansion of deforestation in Brazilian Amazonia. It provides a social evaluation of deforestation in this region and presents and compares a number of different scenarios and proposed recommendations.