XML FeedsAssessing opportunity costs of conservation: Ingredients for protected area
By CostBenefit on Nov 13, 2009 | In General, Africa, Academic Study/Journal Article, Preservation & Open Space, Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Contingent Valuation, Surveys,.., Environmental Economics / Ecological Economics, Costs and Benefits, Socio-Political-Cognitive-Economics | Send feedback »
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2009.05.004
Abstract: The Kakamega Forest is the only remaining tropical rainforest fragment in Western Kenya and hosts large numbers of endemic animal and plant species. Protected areas were established decades ago in order to preserve the forest's unique biodiversity from being converted into agricultural land by the regions large number of small-scale farmers. Nonetheless, recent research shows that degradation continues at alarming rates. In this paper Jan Börner, John Mburu, Paul Guthiga and Stephen Wambua address an important challenge faced by protected area management, namely, the design of a cost-effective incentive scheme that balances local demand for subsistence non-timber forest products against conservation interests. Using primary data collected from 369 randomly selected farm-households we combine a farm-household classification with mathematical programming in order to estimate the opportunity costs of conserving the Kakamega Forest and restricting access to non-timber forest product resources. The authors validate our model and analyze the impact of changes in major economic frame conditions on their results before they derive recommendations for an improved protected area management in the study region. Their findings suggest that a more flexible approach to determining the price of recently established forest product extraction permits would greatly enhance management efficiency without significantly compromising local well-being.
by Jan Börner 1, John Mburu 2, Paul Guthiga 3 and Stephen Wambua 2
1. International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Amazon Initiative Consortium, Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, Trav. Enas Pinheiro S/N, CEP-66095-780, Belém, PA, Brazil
2. University of Nairobi, Kenya, and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 30197-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
3. Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA), P.O. Box 56445-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
Forest Policy and Economics via Elsevier ScienceDirect www.ScienceDirect.com
Volume 11, Issue 7; November, 2009; pages 459-467
