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Extant forest plantations as a potential bridge between social needs and ecological management: a comparative case
M E Paulson Priebe1, J G Müller
1Department of Environmental Science and Management, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA; Center for the Study of Institutions, Populations and Environmental Change, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 97207, USA.
Journal of Environmental Management
|September 17, 2013
Summary
Sustainable forest plantations can reduce conflict and deforestation. Shifting management to sustainable harvesting of existing plantations can foster cooperation between conservationists and local communities, benefiting both social and ecological interests.
Area of Science:
- Forestry and Conservation Science
- Environmental Management
- Social-Ecological Systems
Background:
- Global deforestation necessitates balancing conservation with social needs.
- Forest plantations established in the 1970s for wood harvesting now face protection, leading to conflicts.
- Restrictions on harvesting extant plantations can increase local animosity and concentrate impacts on natural forests.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze case studies of forest plantations in El Salvador and Niger to identify common management lessons.
- To explore the potential of shifting management of extant plantations to sustainable harvesting.
- To demonstrate how this shift can reduce animosity, promote novel practices, and decrease deforestation.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of case studies from El Salvador and Niger.
- Examination of historical context and current management challenges of forest plantations.
- Identification of commonalities in plantation management and stakeholder interactions.
Main Results:
- Sustainable harvest of plantations can reduce animosity between managers and stakeholders.
- Plantations offer a low-risk environment for testing new management strategies.
- Sustainable harvesting of plantations can mitigate deforestation and protect biodiversity in natural forests.
Conclusions:
- Extant plantations under restrictive harvesting legislation can be repurposed for conservation.
- A management shift to sustainable harvesting can transform these plantations into centers for social and ecological conservation.
- Collaboration with stakeholders to adjust regulations can foster cooperation between conservationists and local populations.
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