Proximate Population Factors and Deforestation in Tropical Agricultural Frontiers

Abstract

Forest conversion for agriculture expansion is the most salient signature of human occupation of the earth's land surface. Although population growth and deforestation are significantly associated at the global and regional scales, evidence for population links to deforestation at micro-scales-where people are actually clearing0020forests-is scant. Much of the planet's forest elimination is proceeding along tropical agricultural frontiers. This article examines the evolution of thought on population-environment theories relevant to deforestation in tropical agricultural frontiers. Four primary ways by which population dynamics interact with frontier forest conversion are examined: population density, fertility, and household demographic composition, and in-migration.

Population Dynamics and Tropical Deforestation: State of the Debate and Conceptual Challenges

“…Additionally, the demand for fuelwood for household consumption, in the arid and populous regions of East Africa as well as South Asia is perhaps the primary proximate driver of deforestation in these regions (Rudel et al, 2000). Deforestation in Central America is characterized by in-migration to the frontier for subsistence agriculture, followed by land consolidation for pasture, pushing the frontier further and displacing the peasant farmers (Carr, 2004a). Where local demands drive deforestation, in-migration, as opposed to natural population growth, figures more heavily in the expansion of populations and their increasing demands on the land (Geist & Lambin, 2002).…”

“…With the previous example of declining rural populations accompanied by high rates of forest clearing, increasing population density in migration origin areas (from land concentration or population growth through immigration and fertility) can lead to frontier settlement (Barbier, 1997;Moran, 1993;Wood & Perz, 1996). Of course, out-migration from origin areas is a prerequisite to frontier settlement and subsequent forest conversion (Carr, 2004a), illustrating that processes acting in one place may lead to deforestation elsewhere.…”

“…An example of a lag effect is presented by Deacon (1994), whose study suggested a stronger relation between deforestation and population growth with a 5-year lag than with coterminous growth. Similarly, population growth elsewhere was at least partially responsible for pushing migrants to the Guatemalan frontier and subsequent forest conversion in the Maya Biosphere Reserve (Carr, 2004a;Schwartz, 1995) Place Are attempts to focus on causal principles and unified explanatory models fruitless? (John Sydenstricker-Neto, PERN, 2003, 4/15).…”

Resource management and fertility in Mexico’s Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve: Campos, cash, and contraception in the lobster-fishing village of Punta Allen

“…In other contexts locals may not enjoy such choices. Landlessness and lack of land tenure often causes squatters to rapaciously exhaust land on which there exists no guarantee of permanent residence (Fearnside 2001;Carr 2004Carr , 2005Carr et al 2006a). Among rural communities in isolation from each other, regional consensus on "internal" regulations is difficult to attain (let alone the attainment of their enforcement).…”

Impacts of mangrove management systems on mangrove changes in the Northern Coast of Vietnam

“…In the past, according to Hong and San (1993), mangrove forests were destroyed by military herbicides in the American war in Southern Vietnam (Hong and San 1993). Moreover, population growth is mainly linked to deforestation on a micro scale (Carr 2004). In Vietnam, rapid population growth especially in coastal areas has resulted in greater demand for fuel wood, charcoal and housing materials.…”