Empirical linkages between devolved tenure systems and forest conditions: Primary evidence

Published Date
December 2016, Vol.73:277–285, doi:10.1016/j.forpol.2016.06.033

Author 

• Runsheng Yin ^a,b,,
 
• Leo Zulu ^c
 
• Jiaguo Qi ^d
 
• Mark Freudenberger ^e
 
• Matthew Sommerville ^e

• aCollege of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, Yangling712100, China
• bDepartment of Forestry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
• cDepartment of Geography, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
• dCenter for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
• eTetra Tech., 159 Bank Street, Suite 300, P.O. Box 1397, Burlington, VT 05402, USA

Received 12 March 2016. Revised 17 June 2016. Accepted 29 June 2016. Available online 21 July 2016.

Highlights

• Empirical research has unfolded along two distinct but complementary lines of inquiry.
• •
  One is local-level examinations of coupled forest conditions and institutional variables.
• •
  The other is regional-level studies of forest conditions against an array of variables.
• •
  Forest tenure reform and institutional change can lead to improved forest condition.
• •
  It is too soon to draw a strong and general conclusion on the direct causal linkages.

Abstract 

Empirical research on the relationship between devolved tenure and forest condition has unfolded along two distinct but complementary lines of inquiry. They include local-level examinations of closely coupled forest conditions and such institutional variables as rulemaking, enforcement, and monitoring; and regional-level analysis of resource conditions against an array of institutional and other variables, including different tenure systems or scenarios of before vs. after devolution or with vs. without. Large advances have made in defining the relevant variables and testing the causality. While some studies suggest that forest tenure reform and institutional change can lead to improved forest condition, it remains too soon to draw a strong and general conclusion on the direct causal linkage between devolved forest rights and improved forest condition. Knowledge gaps exist in terms of the quantity and quality of the evidence.

Keywords

Forest devolution

Tenure reform

Community-based management

Forest condition

Impact evaluation

---

.

.

• ☆
  This article belongs to the special section: Forest devolution, forest condition, and poverty alleviation published in the journal Forest Policy and Economics 73, 2016.

• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author.

For further details log on website :
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934116301289