IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecolec/v97y2014icp1-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effects of a policy-induced income shock on forest-dependent households in the Peruvian Amazon

Author

Listed:
  • L'Roe, Jessica
  • Naughton-Treves, Lisa

Abstract

This paper describes how forest-dependent communities in the Peruvian Amazon responded to forest policy changes meant to improve sustainability. These new laws emphasized block-based, collectivized extraction — a strategy incompatible with local communities' logging traditions and technical capacity. Field surveys before and after the policy change revealed a drastic reduction in local logging activities for households at all income levels. Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) subsequently became more important to household cash incomes. However, only some households were able to shift to a more intensive and far-ranging pattern of NTFP harvest, particularly households with boats and motors. Others lost income from both logging and NTFP extraction because for many households, these income sources were interdependent. An increasing Gini coefficient signals potentially escalating household income inequality. Key lessons for biodiversity and forest–carbon interventions in tropical forests include 1) regulations designed to control large-scale extraction can lead to unnecessarily restricted access for small-scale extractors, and 2) potential shifts in extractive pressure should be taken into account when access to forest resources is curtailed.

Suggested Citation

  • L'Roe, Jessica & Naughton-Treves, Lisa, 2014. "Effects of a policy-induced income shock on forest-dependent households in the Peruvian Amazon," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 1-9.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:97:y:2014:i:c:p:1-9
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2013.10.017
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800913003273
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2013.10.017?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Belcher, Brian & Ruiz-Perez, Manuel & Achdiawan, Ramadhani, 2005. "Global patterns and trends in the use and management of commercial NTFPs: Implications for livelihoods and conservation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1435-1452, September.
    2. McSweeney, Kendra, 2005. "Natural insurance, forest access, and compounded misfortune: Forest resources in smallholder coping strategies before and after Hurricane Mitch, northeastern Honduras," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1453-1471, September.
    3. Gavin, Michael C. & Anderson, Gregory J., 2007. "Socioeconomic predictors of forest use values in the Peruvian Amazon: A potential tool for biodiversity conservation," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(4), pages 752-762, February.
    4. Adhikari, Bhim & Di Falco, Salvatore & Lovett, Jon C., 2004. "Household characteristics and forest dependency: evidence from common property forest management in Nepal," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 245-257, February.
    5. Bluffstone, Randy & Robinson, Elizabeth & Guthiga, Paul, 2013. "REDD+and community-controlled forests in low-income countries: Any hope for a linkage?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 43-52.
    6. Coomes, Oliver T. & Barham, Bradford L. & Takasaki, Yoshito, 2004. "Targeting conservation-development initiatives in tropical forests: insights from analyses of rain forest use and economic reliance among Amazonian peasants," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(1-2), pages 47-64, November.
    7. Coomes, Oliver T., 1996. "State credit programs and the peasantry under populist regimes: Lessons from the APRA experience in the Peruvian Amazon," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 24(8), pages 1333-1346, August.
    8. Vedeld, Paul & Angelsen, Arild & Bojo, Jan & Sjaastad, Espen & Kobugabe Berg, Gertrude, 2007. "Forest environmental incomes and the rural poor," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(7), pages 869-879, April.
    9. Takasaki, Yoshito & Barham, Bradford L. & Coomes, Oliver T., 2004. "Risk coping strategies in tropical forests: floods, illnesses, and resource extraction," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(2), pages 203-224, May.
    10. Arnold, J. E. Michael & Perez, M. Ruiz, 2001. "Can non-timber forest products match tropical forest conservation and development objectives?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 437-447, December.
    11. Sunderlin, William D. & Angelsen, Arild & Belcher, Brian & Burgers, Paul & Nasi, Robert & Santoso, Levania & Wunder, Sven, 2005. "Livelihoods, forests, and conservation in developing countries: An Overview," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1383-1402, September.
    12. Smith, Joyotee & Colan, Violeta & Sabogal, Cesar & Snook, Laura, 2006. "Why policy reforms fail to improve logging practices: The role of governance and norms in Peru," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 8(4), pages 458-469, June.
    13. Matti Salo & Samuli Helle & Tuuli Toivonen, 2011. "Allocating Logging Rights in Peruvian Amazonia—Does It Matter to Be Local?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(5), pages 1-9, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. L'Roe, Jessica & Naughton-Treves, Lisa, 2017. "Forest edges in western Uganda: From refuge for the poor to zone of investment," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 102-111.
    2. Giudice, Renzo & Börner, Jan, 2021. "Benefits and costs of incentive-based forest conservation in the Peruvian Amazon," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    3. Yamamoto, Yuki & Shigetomi, Yosuke & Ishimura, Yuichi & Hattori, Mitsuru, 2019. "Forest change and agricultural productivity: Evidence from Indonesia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 196-207.
    4. Rasmussen, Laura Vang & Watkins, Cristy & Agrawal, Arun, 2017. "Forest contributions to livelihoods in changing agriculture-forest landscapes," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 1-8.
    5. De Oñate-Calvín, Ruth & Oviedo, José L. & Salo, Matti, 2018. "Forest Resource-based Household Economy in the Communities of the Nanay River Basin, Peruvian Amazonia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 218-227.
    6. Kaoma, Humphrey & Shackleton, Charlie M., 2015. "The direct-use value of urban tree non-timber forest products to household income in poorer suburbs in South African towns," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 104-112.
    7. Cunha, Felipe Arias Fogliano de Souza & Börner, Jan & Wunder, Sven & Cosenza, Carlos Alberto Nunes & Lucena, André F.P., 2016. "The implementation costs of forest conservation policies in Brazil," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 209-220.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Coomes, Oliver T. & Takasaki, Yoshito & Abizaid, Christian & Arroyo-Mora, J. Pablo, 2016. "Environmental and market determinants of economic orientation among rain forest communities: Evidence from a large-scale survey in western Amazonia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 260-271.
    2. Zenteno, Mario & Zuidema, Pieter A. & de Jong, Wil & Boot, René G.A., 2013. "Livelihood strategies and forest dependence: New insights from Bolivian forest communities," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 12-21.
    3. Jagger, Pamela & Cheek, Jennifer Zavaleta & Miller, Daniel & Ryan, Casey & Shyamsundar, Priya & Sills, Erin, 2022. "The Role of Forests and Trees in Poverty Dynamics," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    4. Angelsen, Arild & Jagger, Pamela & Babigumira, Ronnie & Belcher, Brian & Hogarth, Nicholas J. & Bauch, Simone & Börner, Jan & Smith-Hall, Carsten & Wunder, Sven, 2014. "Environmental Income and Rural Livelihoods: A Global-Comparative Analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(S1), pages 12-28.
    5. Porro, Roberto & Lopez-Feldman, Alejandro & Vela-Alvarado, Jorge W., 2015. "Forest use and agriculture in Ucayali, Peru: Livelihood strategies, poverty and wealth in an Amazon frontier," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 47-56.
    6. Begazo Curie, Karin & Mertens, Kewan & Vranken, Liesbet, 2021. "Tenure regimes and remoteness: When does forest income reduce poverty and inequality? A case study from the Peruvian Amazon," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    7. Nielsen, Martin Reinhardt & Treue, Thorsten, 2012. "Hunting for the Benefits of Joint Forest Management in the Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot: Effects on Bushmeat Hunters and Wildlife in the Udzungwa Mountains," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(6), pages 1224-1239.
    8. J. Runk & Gervacio Ortíz Negría & Wilio Quintero García & Cristobalino Quiróz Ismare, 2007. "Political economic history, culture, and Wounaan livelihood diversity in eastern Panama," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 24(1), pages 93-106, March.
    9. Cotta, Jamie N., 2015. "Contributions of local floodplain resources to livelihoods and household income in the Peruvian Amazon," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 35-46.
    10. Abebaw, Degnet & Kassa, Habtemariam & Kassie, Girma T. & Lemenih, Mulugeta & Campbell, Bruce & Teka, Worku, 2012. "Dry forest based livelihoods in resettlement areas of Northwestern Ethiopia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 72-77.
    11. Rasmussen, Laura Vang & Watkins, Cristy & Agrawal, Arun, 2017. "Forest contributions to livelihoods in changing agriculture-forest landscapes," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 1-8.
    12. Wunder, Sven & Angelsen, Arild & Belcher, Brian, 2014. "Forests, Livelihoods, and Conservation: Broadening the Empirical Base," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(S1), pages 1-11.
    13. Jensen, Anders, 2009. "Valuation of non-timber forest products value chains," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 34-41, January.
    14. Bir Chhetri & Helle Larsen & Carsten Smith-Hall, 2015. "Environmental resources reduce income inequality and the prevalence, depth and severity of poverty in rural Nepal," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 513-530, June.
    15. Riyong Kim Bakkegaard & Martin Reinhardt Nielsen & Bo Jellesmark Thorsen, 2017. "Household determinants of bushmeat and eru (Gnetum africanum) harvesting for cash in the Democratic Republic of Congo," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1425-1443, August.
    16. Meilby, Henrik & Smith-Hall, Carsten & Byg, Anja & Larsen, Helle Overgaard & Nielsen, Øystein Juul & Puri, Lila & Rayamajhi, Santosh, 2014. "Are Forest Incomes Sustainable? Firewood and Timber Extraction and Productivity in Community Managed Forests in Nepal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(S1), pages 113-124.
    17. Jane Kabubo‐Mariara, 2013. "Forest‐poverty nexus: Exploring the contribution of forests to rural livelihoods in Kenya," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 37(3), pages 177-188, August.
    18. Nerfa, Lauren & Rhemtulla, Jeanine M. & Zerriffi, Hisham, 2020. "Forest dependence is more than forest income: Development of a new index of forest product collection and livelihood resources," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    19. Fazli Rabbi & Shahid Ali & Umar Hayat & Zia Ullah, 2017. "Why Local Residents Harvest Natural Forest? Determinants Factors In The Mountains Of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa," IBT Journal of Business Studies (JBS), Ilma University, Faculty of Management Science, vol. 13(1), pages 13-15.
    20. Croitoru, Lelia, 2007. "Valuing the non-timber forest products in the Mediterranean region," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(4), pages 768-775, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:97:y:2014:i:c:p:1-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ecolecon .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.