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Conservation through intensification? The effects of plantations on natural forests

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  • Heilmayr, Robert

Abstract

The rapid growth in plantation forestry over the past two decades attests to the sector's importance in meeting rising global demand for timber, fuel and fiber. However, plantation forests differ dramatically from natural forests in the types of ecosystem services they can provide. As a result, it is important to understand the aggregate effects of plantation expansion on natural forests. Using a simple partial equilibrium model and a global panel dataset of forest statistics, this paper assesses the impacts of plantation expansion upon the extent of natural forests. The analysis shows that plantation expansion has resulted in a contraction of natural forests dedicated to forest product extraction, but an expansion of un-harvested natural forests and the associated generation of ecosystem services. The model and empirical evidence emphasize, however, that there is significant heterogeneity in this outcome depending upon the own-price elasticity of demand for forest products and, as a result, the trade intensity of the forestry sector. The potential for beneficial effects of plantation expansion on un-harvested natural forests is diminished in countries with trade-oriented forestry sectors.

Suggested Citation

  • Heilmayr, Robert, 2014. "Conservation through intensification? The effects of plantations on natural forests," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 204-210.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:105:y:2014:i:c:p:204-210
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.06.008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gregory S. Amacher & Markku Ollikainen & Erkki A. Koskela, 2009. "Economics of Forest Resources," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262012480, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Isaline Jadin & Patrick Meyfroidt & Juan Carlos Zamora Pereira & Eric F. Lambin, 2016. "Unexpected Interactions between Agricultural and Forest Sectors through International Trade: Wood Pallets and Agricultural Exports in Costa Rica," Land, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-21, December.
    2. A. Maarit I. Kallio & Meley M. Rannestad, 2025. "Potential impacts of the EU’s biodiversity strategy on the EU and global forest sector and on the risk of biodiversity loss," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 45(4), pages 1-20, December.
    3. Kinda, Harouna & Thiombiano, Noel, 2021. "The effects of extractive industries rent on deforestation in developing countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    4. Afawubo, Komivi & Noglo, Yawo Agbényégan, 2019. "Remittances and deforestation in developing countries: Is institutional quality paramount?," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(4), pages 304-320.
    5. Kosenius, Anna-Kaisa & Kniivilä, Matleena & Pitiot, Maja & Horne, Paula, 2019. "Location of forest plantations in Mozambique: Gains and losses in water, firewood and land availability," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    6. Iriarte-Goñi, Iñaki & Ayuda, María-Isabel, 2018. "Should Forest Transition Theory include effects on forest fires? The case of Spain in the second half of the twentieth century," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 789-797.
    7. Coulibaly, Yacouba, 2025. "The effects of resource-backed loans on deforestation: Evidence from developing countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    8. Wolfersberger, Julien & Delacote, Philippe & Garcia, Serge, 2015. "An empirical analysis of forest transition and land-use change in developing countries," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 241-251.
    9. Harouna Kinda & Noël Thiombiano, 2023. "Does transparency matter? Evaluating the Impacts of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) on Deforestation in Resource-rich Developing Countries," Post-Print hal-04245123, HAL.
    10. Yan, Ruhe & Zinda, John Aloysius & Ke, Shuifa, 2020. "Designating tree crops as forest: Land competition and livelihood effects mediate tree crops impact on natural forest cover in south China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    11. Kinda, Harouna & Thiombiano, Noël, 2024. "Does transparency matter? Evaluating the Impacts of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) on Deforestation in Resource-rich Developing Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).

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