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Knoke, T.; Calvas, B.; Aguirre, N.; Roman-Cuesta, R.M.; G&uuml;nter, S.; Stimm, B.; Weber, M. &amp; Mosandl, R. (2009): <b>Can tropical farmers reconcile subsistence demands with forest conservation?</b>. <i>Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</i> <b>7</b>(10), 548-554.

Resource Description
Title: Can tropical farmers reconcile subsistence demands with forest conservation?
FOR816dw ID: 450
Publication Date: 2009-03-11
License and Usage Rights:
Resource Owner(s):
Individual: Thomas Knoke
Contact:
Individual: Baltazar Calvas
Contact:
Individual: Nikolay Aguirre
Contact:
Individual: Rosa Maria Roman-Cuesta
Contact:
Individual: Sven Günter
Contact:
Individual: Bernd Stimm
Contact:
Individual: Michael Weber
Contact:
Individual: Reinhard Mosandl
Contact:
Abstract:
If tropical farmers cannot be provided with sustainable land-use systems, which address their subsistence<br/> needs and keep them gainfully employed, tropical forests will continue to disappear. We looked at the ability<br/> of economic land-use diversification ? with reforestation of tropical ?wastelands? as a key activity ? to<br/> halt deforestation at the farm level. Our ecological?economic concept, based on land-use data from the<br/> buffer area of the Podocarpus National Park in southern Ecuador, shows that stopping deforestation after 10<br/> years is possible without violating subsistence demands. Tropical, farm-level diversification may not only<br/> reduce total deforestation by 45%, but also increase farmers? profits by 65%, because the formerly unproductive<br/> wastelands have been returned to productive land use. We therefore conclude that a ?win?win? scenario<br/> is possible: the subsistence needs of people can be reconciled with conservation objectives. However,<br/> inexpensive microcredits (at interest rates below 6%) and experience on alternative land-use opportunities<br/> must be offered to farmers.
Literature type specific fields:
ARTICLE
Journal: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
Volume: 7
Issue: 10
Page Range: 548-554
Publisher: Ecological Society of America
Metadata Provider:
Individual: Thomas Knoke
Contact:
Online Distribution:
Download File: http://www.tropicalmountainforest.org/publications.do?citid=450


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