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Economics Unit

Economic Potential of Enterprises in Extractive Forest Reserves in Developing Countries

Investigators:

Evan Mercer, Southern Research Station
Jan Laarman, North Carolina State University
Fred Cubbage, North Carolina State University
Ellen Donoghue, North Carolina State University

Description:

Compared with the extraction of timber, many projects to promote the production and marketing of non-timber forest products, reduced environmental impact and favorable distributional consequences. On the other hand, timber can be a commercially important resource for rural communities. Using a series of case studies in extractive forest reserves in Latin America and Southeast Asia, the potential of non-wood products enterprises (e.g. palmito and ecotourism) to produce income for rural communities is compared to timber production. In addition, alternative forest management institutions (community forestry, non-governmental organizations) are analyzed for their potential for increasing the efficiency and equity of tropical forest management.

Problem Area(s): Tropical forestry
Status: Ongoing

Products:

Orlande, Teresa; Laarman, Jan; Mortimer, Jason. 1996. Palmito sustainability and economics in Brazil's Atlantic coastal forest. Forest Ecology and Management. 80: 257-265.

Laarman, J.G.; Stewart, Eden Jacosalem; Dugan, Patrick C. 1995. The economics of extraction in Philippine forests: when timber turns to gold. Mountain Research and Development. 15 (2): 153-164.

Orlande, Teresa; Laarman, Jan; Mortimer, Jason. 1994. White gold: palmito sustainability and economics in Brazil's Atlantic coastal forest. FPEI Work. Pap. 55. Research Triangle Park, NC: The Forestry Private Enterprise Initiative. 21 p.

Mohd, Rusli, and Jan Laarman. 1994. The Struggle for Influence: NGO's and the Tropical Forests. Journal of Forestry 92(6):32-36

Laarman, Jan, and Hans Gregersen. 1994. Making Nature-based Tourism Contribute to Sustainable Development: A Policy Framework. EPAT/MUCIA Policy Brief, The Environmental and Natural Resources Policy and Training Project, No. 5. U.S. Agency for International Development.

Laarman, J.G.; Gregersen, Hans. 1996. Pricing policy in nature-based tourism. Journal of Tourism Management 17(4):247-254.

modified: 13-MAR-2000
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