Local Livelihoods

Green pretexts: Ecotourism, neoliberal conservation and land grabbing in Tayrona National Natural Park, Colombia

Background

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Economic and conservation potential of bird-watching tourism in postconflict Colombia

Background

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Silvopastoral Systems and their Contribution to Improved Resource Use and Sustainable Development Goals: Evidence from Latin America

Background

Of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015, livestock can contribute to the majority of them. Specifically, silvopastoral systems, which integrate cattle intensification and natural processes, is often promoted to achieve the joint economic, social, and environmental focus of the SDGs. Using three established silvopastoral systems in Latin American (Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia) as case-studies, this paper applies an analytical framework in order to determine the systems productivity and the socio-economic benefits. 

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Partnering with cattle ranchers for forest landscape restoration

Background

In order to address land degradation due to agricultural expansion and intensification throughout Latin America, silvopastoral systems are being promoted as a forest landscape restoration (FLR) approach. Yet, the success of these strategies rely on ranchers voluntary participation and full adoption at a regional scale. The author recognizes a knowledge gap in regards to why ranchers are driven to adopt silvopastoral systems and thus seeks to understand this issue through the examination of a cast study in Colombia. 

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Native trees and shrubs for the productive rehabilitation of tropical cattle ranching lands

Background

Latin America, much like the rest of the rest of the world, has experienced significant deforestation rates. In this region, the primary driver has been large-scale land conversion to unsustainable uses, like industrial cattle ranching and agriculture. This article recognizes the deep-rootedness of cattle in Latin American economies and cultures, yet stresses the need to shift the paradigm by adopting intensive silvopastoral systems (ISS) that utilize native species. 

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A local perspective on drivers and measures to slow deforestation in the Andean-Amazonian foothills of Colombia

Background

The Andean-Amazonian foothills in Colombia are highly valuable economically, ecologically, and socially, yet they continue to be under extreme threat of deforestation. This study aims to identify drivers and trends of this deforestation, using a unique methodological approach, seeking to compliment past monitoring studies with on-the-ground information. 

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Restoring tropical forests from the bottom up

Background

Written in 2017, this article acknowledges that numerous countries around the world have committed to restoring large areas of forest in the next decade or so. Given these challenging targets, the authors seeks to understand how they can be met given competing land uses. She draws on several case studies to answer this broad question, including ones from Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. 

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Strategic Insights for Capacity Development on Forest Landscape Restoration: Implications for Addressing Global Commitments

Background

Global initiatives, like the Aichi Targets and Bonn Challenge, have recognized capacity development as a key strategy in achieving the large-scale restoration goals, particularly those that utilize the complex forest landscape restoration (FLR) approach. Still though, the concept of capacity development is largely undefined. This article seeks to answer key questions in regards to integrating capacity development strategies into FLR projects. 

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The Monte Pascoal‐Pau Brasil ecological corridor carbon, community and biodiversity initiative: another carbon offset failure

Background

In 2013, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) programs had recently been introduced to governments and conservation groups around the world. Yet, as they were being implemented at increasing rates, traditional forest use practices were vilified while large-scale drives of deforestation were left unaddressed. This was common particularly in Brazil. 

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Hiniduma Biolink Project, Sri Lanka - Reforesting traditional home gardens using the analog forestry concept in wet zones of Sri Lanka

Background

The Hinidum Biolink Project is a cooperative effort between the Conservation Carbon Company and Rainforest Rescue International that aims to build a biodiversity corridor between two remnant forests in Sri Lanka. The document is a plan for this Plan Vivo project, developed in June 2011.

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