Land Use
Violent enclosures, violated livelihoods: environmental and military territoriality in a Philippine frontierBackgroundHistorically, agrarian change in the Philippines involved shifts in land enclosure, from colonial and church usurpation to capitalist intensification and protected areas, sparking peasant resistance and the rise of insurgent groups like the New People's Army (NPAs). Currently, in Palawan, military operations against the NPA often conflate peasants and insurgents. These military actions converge with conservation in national park buffer zones, creating restrictive and politically charged spaces for indigenous groups like the Tagbanua. Authorities frequently stigmatize their traditional land use as criminal, such as swidden farming. Available with subscription or purchase |
The Social Life of Forest Carbon: Property and Politics in the Production of a New CommodityBackgroundAvailable with subscription or purchase |
Experimental Science for the ‘Bananapocalypse’: Counter Politics in the PlantationoceneBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Recalibrating burdens of blame: Anti-swidden politics and green governance in the Philippine UplandsBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Livestock production and the global environment: Consume less or produce better?BackgroundGlobal demand for livestock products rises rapidly, especially in developing countries. Although livestock production contributes significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, land use change, and nitrogen cycle disruptions, producers can reduce its environmental impact by improving production efficiency. This study evaluates whether shifting to more efficient livestock systems offers a viable path to mitigate these impacts, rather than relying solely on consumption reduction. Open access copy available |
Livelihoods, Forests, and Conservation in Developing Countries: An OverviewBACKGROUND:Poverty is a huge challenge, with 2.8 billion of the world’s 6 billion people living on less than $2 a day. The paper highlights the alarming extent of poverty in developing countries and addresses the rapid deforestation, which compromises ecological integrity and exacerbates social inequities. The authors focus on exploring whether poverty alleviation and forest conservation can be aligned as complementary rather than conflicting objectives. Available with subscription or purchase |
The global status and trends of Payments for Ecosystem ServicesBackgroundPayments for Ecosystem Services (PES) have expanded significantly in recent decades. These schemes aim to internalize the positive externalities that natural systems generate. PES creates incentives for landholders to adopt behaviors that sustain ecosystem service provision and, in some cases, generates additional revenue streams for conservation. However, it captures only a small fraction of the total value that natural systems provide. Researchers face challenges in collecting comprehensive and reliable data on PES due to its relatively recent emergence and the diversity of practices across different geographic scales. Available with subscription or purchase |
The Effectiveness of Payments for Environmental ServicesBackgroundThe academic debate on how effectively Payments for Environmental Services (PES) achieve environmental and socioeconomic goals continues to grow. Researchers initially focused on defining the concept and documenting early field experiences. Over time, they shifted their attention to designing effective incentives, analyzing behavioral responses, conducting systematic reviews, and applying counterfactual-based impact evaluations to assess outcomes more rigorously. Available with subscription or purchase |
Role of local communities in forest landscape restoration: Key lessons from the Billion Trees Afforestation Project, PakistanBACKGROUND:Forests in Pakistan have depleted over the years due to anthropogenic disturbances such as illegal logging, urbanization, and agriculture. The Billion Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa aims to conserve forests, improve livelihoods, and mitigate climate change by actively involving local communities. This study evaluates the effectiveness of BTAP, the critical role of farmer participation, and the factors influencing their engagement in the project. Available with subscription or purchase |
Carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling in agroforestry systems on degraded soils of Eastern Amazon, BrazilBackground:Among various approaches to forest restoration, passive restoration via natural regeneration stands out as the most cost-efective option. However, the resilience of the forest is heavily influenced by factors such as water availability, soil integrity, and the presence of seed dispersers in the landscape. In situations where resilience is low, successful restoration relies on active human interventions. Unfortunately, many restoration projects, especially those involving smallholders, face budget constraints. In such circumstances, Agroforestry Systems emerge as a restoration strategy that combines both socio-economic and ecological advantages. Available with subscription or purchase |
