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Common Property Resource Institutions and Forest Management in Latin America

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  • Michael Richards

Abstract

This article focuses on how common property resource (CPR) institutions managing forest resources in Latin America have responded to change, a subject relatively ignored in the English‐language literature. It examines in particular the evidence surrounding the popular view that CPR institutions must inevitably break down in the face of economic and demographic pressures—an extension of the `tragedy of the commons' thesis. The evidence shows that there have been a number of both positive and negative experiences. The negative experiences include the obvious vulnerability of Amerindian informal institutions to the individualistic incentive structures of market forces. The apparent incompatibility between the market and `gift' economy leads to a questioning of the current donor emphasis on market‐orientated natural forest management among indigenous groups that have received little exposure to market forces, and alternative approaches are suggested. However, many indigenous and other groups have responded positively to market pressures and there is ample evidence that, given an appropriate policy environment, community‐based natural forest management can still be regarded as a `great white hope' for forest conservation, especially considering the largely negative environmental and equity impacts of individualized resource privatization, as in the Brazilian Amazon. However, CPR institutions have generally faced an unsupportive policy environment; it is therefore over‐simplistic for those in favour of privatization of property rights to ascribe their erosion to commercial or demographic pressures per se.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Richards, 1997. "Common Property Resource Institutions and Forest Management in Latin America," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 28(1), pages 95-117, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:devchg:v:28:y:1997:i:1:p:95-117
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-7660.00036
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    Cited by:

    1. Sheng, Jichuan & Wang, Hui, 2022. "Participation, income growth and poverty alleviation in payments for ecosystem services: The case of China's Wolong Nature Reserve," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    2. Loaiza, T. & Nehren, U. & Gerold, G., 2016. "REDD+ implementation in the Ecuadorian Amazon: Why land configuration and common-pool resources management matter," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 67-79.
    3. Dison, A. B. & Wood, A. P., 2007. "Local institutions for wetland management in Ethiopia: sustainability and state intervention," IWMI Books, Reports H040691, International Water Management Institute.
    4. Tai, Hsing-Sheng, 2007. "Development Through Conservation: An Institutional Analysis of Indigenous Community-Based Conservation in Taiwan," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 1186-1203, July.
    5. Gelo, Dambala & Koch, Steven F., 2012. "Does one size fit all? Heterogeneity in the valuation of community forestry programs," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 85-94.
    6. Tanya Hayes, 2010. "A challenge for environmental governance: institutional change in a traditional common-property forest system," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 43(1), pages 27-48, March.
    7. Manero, Ana & Taylor, Kat & Nikolakis, William & Adamowicz, Wiktor & Marshall, Virginia & Spencer-Cotton, Alaya & Nguyen, Mai & Grafton, R. Quentin, 2022. "A systematic literature review of non-market valuation of Indigenous peoples’ values: Current knowledge, best-practice and framing questions for future research," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    8. Husain, Zakir & Bhattacharya, Rabindra N., 2004. "Common pool resources and contextual factors: Evolution of a fishermen's cooperative in Calcutta," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(3-4), pages 201-217, October.
    9. Justin Visagie & Dorrit Posel, 2013. "A reconsideration of what and who is middle class in South Africa," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(2), pages 149-167, June.
    10. López, Santiago & Sierra, Rodrigo, 2011. "A resource demand model of indigenous production: The Jivaroan cultivation systems of Western Amazonia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 104(3), pages 246-257, March.
    11. Hayes, Tanya & Persha, Lauren, 2010. "Nesting local forestry initiatives: Revisiting community forest management in a REDD+ world," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(8), pages 545-553, October.
    12. Behera, Bhagirath, 2009. "Explaining the performance of state-community joint forest management in India," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 177-185, November.
    13. Agrawal, Arun, 2001. "Common Property Institutions and Sustainable Governance of Resources," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(10), pages 1649-1672, October.
    14. Peter Taylor & Carol Zabin, 2000. "Neoliberal reform and sustainable forest management in Quintana Roo, Mexico: Rethinking the institutional framework of the Forestry Pilot Plan," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 17(2), pages 141-156, June.
    15. Millner, Naomi & Peñagaricano, Irune & Fernandez, Maria & Snook, Laura K., 2020. "The politics of participation: Negotiating relationships through community forestry in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    16. Davis, Emily Jane & Hajjar, Reem & Charnley, Susan & Moseley, Cassandra & Wendel, Kendra & Jacobson, Meredith, 2020. "Community-based forestry on federal lands in the western United States: A synthesis and call for renewed research," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    17. Richards, Michael, 2000. "Can Sustainable Tropical Forestry be Made Profitable? The Potential and Limitations of Innovative Incentive Mechanisms," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 1001-1016, June.
    18. Sanchez Badini, Olivia & Hajjar, Reem & Kozak, Robert, 2018. "Critical success factors for small and medium forest enterprises: A review," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 35-45.
    19. Carías Vega, Dora E. & Keenan, Rodney J., 2016. "Situating community forestry enterprises within New Institutional Economic theory: What are the implications for their organization?," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 1-13.
    20. Barbier,Edward B., 2007. "Natural Resources and Economic Development," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521706513.

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