Culture

Explaining Success on the Commons: Community Forest Governance in the Indian Himalaya

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This study describes how a range of causal influences shape forest conditions in diverse ecological and institutional settings in the Indian Himalaya.

Open access copy available

Bwa Yo: Important Trees of Haiti

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This book, published in 1996, presents important tree species in Haiti as part of a USAID effort to address environmental degradation in Haiti. The trees presented are mainly those in the agricultural landscape, providing food or fuel, although trees with cultural or ecological importance are also presented.

Each tree profile provides information and photos including discussions of the species and common names, importance, taxonomy and botanical features, distribution and ecology, tree characteristics, utilization, propagation, and other findings (biomass studies, growth performance, tree improvement, seed research, and/or planting stock quality).

Open access copy available

Vilcanota Valley Rehabilitation and Management Project

Open access copy available

Forest Management Practices in the Bayano Region of Panama: Cultural Variations

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This paper examines differences in forest exploitation between indigenous groups and colonists along an agricultural frontier in Panama and focuses on differences in forest use, economic base, and management practices.

Research Goals & Methods

The author compares total annual income, timber harvest volume and tree planting efforts per household in 5 indigenous villages and 3 colonist villages.

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The Global Conservation Status of Mangroves

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This research evaluates mangrove stands in 16 countries and island states throughout the neo- and paleotropics. Relying on site visits, the authors evaluate the local impacts on mangroves and the attitudes toward mangroves.

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An Evaluation of Farmers' Experiences Planting Native Trees in Rural Panama: Implications for Reforestation with Native Species in Agricultural Landscapes

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The Panamanian government has created reforestation incentive programs to encourage farmers to plant trees in order to restore ecosystem services to degraded lands. However, many farmers and landowners choose not to participate in these programs. Additionally, many such incentive programs result in large plantations of non-native species. In 2001, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute created a native species reforestation project known as PRORENA (Proyecto de Reforestación con Especias Nativas) to study strategies for successful native species reforestation in a social, economic, and scientific context.

Open access copy available
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