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Effects of Protected Areas on Forest Cover Change and Local Communities

Author

Listed:
  • Miranda, Juan Jose
  • Corral, Leonardo
  • Blackman, Allen

    (Resources for the Future)

  • Asner, Gregory
  • Lima, Eirivelthon

Abstract

Protected areas are a cornerstone of forest conservation in developing countries. Yet we know little about their effects on forest cover change or the socioeconomic status of local communities, and even less about the relationship between these effects. This paper assesses whether “win-win” scenarios are possible—that is, whether protected areas can both stem forest cover change and alleviate poverty. We examine protected areas in the Peruvian Amazon using high-resolution satellite images and household-level survey data for the early 2000s. To control for protected areas’ nonrandom siting, we rely on quasi-experimental (matching) methods. We find that the average protected area reduces forest cover change. We do not find a robust negative effect on local communities. Protected areas that allow sustainable extractive activities are more effective in reducing forest cover change but less effective in delivering win-win outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Miranda, Juan Jose & Corral, Leonardo & Blackman, Allen & Asner, Gregory & Lima, Eirivelthon, 2014. "Effects of Protected Areas on Forest Cover Change and Local Communities," RFF Working Paper Series dp-14-14, Resources for the Future.
    • Handle: RePEc:rff:dpaper:dp-14-14
    as

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    File URL: http://www.rff.org/RFF/documents/RFF-DP-14-14.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Canavire-Bacarreza, Gustavo & Hanauer, Merlin M., 2013. "Estimating the Impacts of Bolivia’s Protected Areas on Poverty," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 265-285.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Howlader, Aparna & Ando, Amy, 2016. "Consequences of Protected Areas for Forest Extraction and Human Well-being: Evidence from Nepal," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 236117, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. Sims, Katharine R.E. & Alix-Garcia, Jennifer M., 2017. "Parks versus PES: Evaluating direct and incentive-based land conservation in Mexico," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 8-28.
    3. Julio Aguirre & Elmer Guerrero & Yohnny Campana, 2021. "How effective are protected natural areas when roads are present? An analysis of the Peruvian case," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 23(4), pages 831-859, October.
    4. Anderson, Christa M. & Asner, Gregory P. & Llactayo, William & Lambin, Eric F., 2018. "Overlapping land allocations reduce deforestation in Peru," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 174-178.
    5. Anderson, Christa M. & Asner, Gregory P. & Lambin, Eric F., 2019. "Lack of association between deforestation and either sustainability commitments or fines in private concessions in the Peruvian Amazon," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 1-8.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    conservation; deforestation; protected areas; poverty; land use; land conservation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • Q23 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Forestry
    • Q24 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Land
    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • R52 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Land Use and Other Regulations

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