Payments for Ecosystem Services and Motivational Crowding in Colombia's Amazon Piedmont

Abstract

As an example, Colombia recently launched the Visión Amazonía project, which will invest US$ 200 million (50% donated by international donors) until 2020 to halt deforestation processes completely. This project will be based on direct payments to landholders, and complemented by the BIOREDD+ program in Colombia, which aims to invest an additional US$ 27,8 million to promote sustainable livelihoods compatible with forest conservation.

Beyond proximate and distal causes of land-use change: linking Individual motivations to deforestation in rural contexts

“…As described by Moros et al (2017), empirical analyses in environmental psychology and environmental studies commonly rely on self-reported responses to questionnaire items to identify both the frequency of environmental practices and the patterns of attitudes, beliefs, and motivations that drive such reported behavior (Steg and Vlek 2009). Ruiz-Mallén et al (2015) and Souto et al (2014), for example, explored engagement in community-based conservation activities, while Greiner and colleagues (Greiner et al 2009, Greiner 2015 analyzed farmers' willingness to participate in biodiversity contracts.…”

“…Our study involves participants from 13 rural districts from El Caraño, a colonization frontier where displaced families from other regions in Colombia have moved over the last 40 years. These villages were included in the study because they are located in the headwaters of the Hacha River, the main water source for the 170,000 urban inhabitants of the city of Florencia, and because of the significant area of remaining forest they harbor (Moros et al 2017). Agriculture and cattle ranching have driven forest clearing in El Caraño (Vásquez 2015), and the area is populated by more than 100 families, mainly smallholders who cultivate staple foods combined with coffee, sugarcane, and pastures.…”

“…In general, this body of literature has established that both contextual and individual factors such as attitudes, motivations, goals, values, beliefs, concerns, and self-identity influence behaviors that benefit the environment (Steg and Vlek 2009). Also, the literature on environmental studies and policy has attempted to establish the effect of conservation programs on motivations (Rico García-Amado et al 2013, Moros et al 2017 and drivers of engagement in particular conservation practices or programs (Greiner et al 2009, Souto et al 2014, Greiner 2015, Ruiz-Mallén et al 2015. However, to our knowledge, no study has attempted to determine the interaction between proenvironmental motivations of rural dwellers and stated landuse change.…”

“…However, to our knowledge, no study has attempted to determine the interaction between proenvironmental motivations of rural dwellers and stated landuse change. Understanding baseline motivations of rural inhabitants and forest users is important given that the design of policy instruments aiming at reducing deforestation may have unintended effects on motivations, which, in turn, can affect conservation outcomes and behaviors (see, e.g., Rico García-Amado et al 2013, Moros et al 2017.…”

“…We studied the effect of motivations on the stated decision to deforest for a group of farmers, controlling for individual and structural variables. We used the questionnaire designed by Moros et al (2017), based on the self-determination theory (SDT) proposed by Ryan and Deci (2000), to explore the different types of motivations and their effect on the reported decision of farmers to deforest. Using a set of different types of motivations allows us to capture more precisely the specific reasons behind preserving forests and, as such, design and improve programs and policies suited to particular types of individuals.…”