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Minimizing ecological damage from road improvement in tropical forests

Author

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  • Dasgupta,Susmita
  • Wheeler,David R.

Abstract

A spatial econometric model is used to link road upgrading to forest clearing and biodiversity loss in the moist tropical forests of Bolivia, Cameroon, and Myanmar. Using 250-meter cells, the model estimates the relationship between the rate of forest clearing in a cell and its distance to the urban market, with explicit attention given to road quality and simultaneity, terrain elevation and slope, the agricultural opportunity value of the land, and its legal protection status. Forest clearing is found to be most responsive to the distance to the nearest urban market, especially with secondary roads with lower typical speeds. Using the estimated forest-clearing response elasticities and a composite biodiversity indicator, an index of expected biodiversity loss from upgrading secondary roads to primary status is computed in each cell. The results identify areas in the three countries where high expected biodiversity losses may warrant additional protection as road upgrading continues. In addition, the results provide ecological risk ratings for individual road corridors that can inform environmentally sensitive infrastructure investment programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Dasgupta,Susmita & Wheeler,David R., 2016. "Minimizing ecological damage from road improvement in tropical forests," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7826, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:7826
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    File URL: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/923931474289798602/pdf/WPS7826.pdf
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Mark Roberts & Martin Melecky & Théophile Bougna & Yan (Sarah) Xu, 2020. "Transport corridors and their wider economic benefits: A quantitative review of the literature," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(2), pages 207-248, March.
    2. Seth Morgan & Alexander Pfaff & Julien Wolfersberger, 2022. "Environmental Policies Benefit Economic Development: Implications of Economic Geography," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 14(1), pages 427-446, October.
    3. Roberts,Mark & Melecky,Martin & Bougna,Theophile & Xu,Yan-000462055, 2018. "Transport corridors and their wider economic benefits : a critical review of the literature," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8302, The World Bank.
    4. Susmita Dasgupta & Mainul Huq & Istiak Sobhan & David Wheeler, 2018. "Sea-Level Rise and Species Conservation in Bangladesh¡¯s Sundarbans Region," Journal of Management and Sustainability, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(1), pages 1-12, March.
    5. Asher, Sam & Garg, Teevrat & Novosad, Paul, 2018. "The Ecological Footprint of Transportation Infrastructure," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 274246, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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