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Land tenure, logging rights, and tree planting: Empirical evidence from smallholders in China

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  • Lin, Ying
  • Qu, Mei
  • Liu, Can
  • Yao, Shunbo

Abstract

To encourage afforestation and promote rural livelihood, China launched a new round of forest tenure reforms (CFTR) for its collective forestland in 2003. Using data spanning a long time period for rural smallholders in China, this study analyzes the causal effects of land tenure security and logging rights on tree planting investments. We address potential selection biases into tree planting and treatments using alternative estimation methods including matching methods and Heckman models. We conclude that complete logging rights over standing timber had a significantly positive effect on investments in tree planting, while the effect of secure land tenure was insignificant. Smallholders with confidence in obtaining a harvest permit invested on average 52% more in total and 36% more in seedling.

Suggested Citation

  • Lin, Ying & Qu, Mei & Liu, Can & Yao, Shunbo, 2020. "Land tenure, logging rights, and tree planting: Empirical evidence from smallholders in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:60:y:2020:i:c:s1043951x18301111
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2018.08.011
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    Cited by:

    1. Hoang Huu Dinh & Shyam Basnet & Justus Wesseler, 2023. "Impact of Land Tenure Security Perception on Tree Planting Investment in Vietnam," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-23, February.
    2. Jian Wei & Hui Xiao & Hao Liu & Xiaotao Huang & Dahong Zhang, 2022. "Does the Collective Forestland Tenure Reform Promote Rural Households’ Forestry Inputs? Based on Dual Perspectives of Rural Households’ Divergence and Inter-Generational Differences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-23, October.
    3. Zhang, Ying & Chen, Shuai, 2021. "Wood trade responses to ecological rehabilitation program: Evidence from China's new logging ban in natural forests," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).

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