Resource Theft in Tropical Forest Communities: Implications for Non-timber Management, Livelihoods, and Conservation
Increased devolution of forest ownership and management rights to local control has the potential to promote both conservation and livelihood development in remote tropical regions. Such shifts in property rights, however, can generate conflicts, particularly when combined with rapidly increasing va...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Resilience Alliance
2011-03-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol16/iss1/art4/ |
| _version_ | 1819141090033270784 |
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| author | Amy E. Duchelle Peter Cronkleton Karen A. Kainer Gladys Guanacoma Salvador Gezan |
| author_facet | Amy E. Duchelle Peter Cronkleton Karen A. Kainer Gladys Guanacoma Salvador Gezan |
| author_sort | Amy E. Duchelle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Increased devolution of forest ownership and management rights to local control has the potential to promote both conservation and livelihood development in remote tropical regions. Such shifts in property rights, however, can generate conflicts, particularly when combined with rapidly increasing values of forest resources. We explored the phenomenon of Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) theft in communities in Western Amazonia. Through interviews with 189 Brazil nut collectors in 12 communities in Bolivia and Brazil and participation in the 2006 and 2007 harvests, we quantified relative income derived from Brazil nuts, reported nut thefts, and nut collection and management practices. We found a much greater incidence of reported Brazil nut thefts in Pando, Bolivia than in the adjacent state of Acre, Brazil. Our analyses suggest that three factors may have affected nut thefts in the forest: (1) contrasts in the timing and process of formally recognizing property rights, (2) different historic settlement patterns, and (3) varying degrees of economic dependence on Brazil nuts. Threat of theft influenced Brazil nut harvest regimes, with potentially long-term implications for forest-based livelihoods, and management and conservation of Brazil nut-rich forests in Western Amazonia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T11:48:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-750016b1f2264907a5736d98c1d14b06 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1708-3087 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T11:48:55Z |
| publishDate | 2011-03-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-750016b1f2264907a5736d98c1d14b062022-12-21T18:27:03ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872011-03-01161410.5751/ES-03806-1601043806Resource Theft in Tropical Forest Communities: Implications for Non-timber Management, Livelihoods, and ConservationAmy E. Duchelle0Peter Cronkleton1Karen A. Kainer2Gladys Guanacoma3Salvador Gezan4University of FloridaCenter for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)University of FloridaUniversidad Amazónica de Pando, BoliviaUniversity of FloridaIncreased devolution of forest ownership and management rights to local control has the potential to promote both conservation and livelihood development in remote tropical regions. Such shifts in property rights, however, can generate conflicts, particularly when combined with rapidly increasing values of forest resources. We explored the phenomenon of Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) theft in communities in Western Amazonia. Through interviews with 189 Brazil nut collectors in 12 communities in Bolivia and Brazil and participation in the 2006 and 2007 harvests, we quantified relative income derived from Brazil nuts, reported nut thefts, and nut collection and management practices. We found a much greater incidence of reported Brazil nut thefts in Pando, Bolivia than in the adjacent state of Acre, Brazil. Our analyses suggest that three factors may have affected nut thefts in the forest: (1) contrasts in the timing and process of formally recognizing property rights, (2) different historic settlement patterns, and (3) varying degrees of economic dependence on Brazil nuts. Threat of theft influenced Brazil nut harvest regimes, with potentially long-term implications for forest-based livelihoods, and management and conservation of Brazil nut-rich forests in Western Amazonia.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol16/iss1/art4/Amazon</span>Bertholletia excelsa<span class="proof_keywords">Brazil nutcommunity forest managementland tenurenon-timber forest productsNTFPs |
| spellingShingle | Amy E. Duchelle Peter Cronkleton Karen A. Kainer Gladys Guanacoma Salvador Gezan Resource Theft in Tropical Forest Communities: Implications for Non-timber Management, Livelihoods, and Conservation Ecology and Society Amazon </span>Bertholletia excelsa<span class="proof_keywords"> Brazil nut community forest management land tenure non-timber forest products NTFPs |
| title | Resource Theft in Tropical Forest Communities: Implications for Non-timber Management, Livelihoods, and Conservation |
| title_full | Resource Theft in Tropical Forest Communities: Implications for Non-timber Management, Livelihoods, and Conservation |
| title_fullStr | Resource Theft in Tropical Forest Communities: Implications for Non-timber Management, Livelihoods, and Conservation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Resource Theft in Tropical Forest Communities: Implications for Non-timber Management, Livelihoods, and Conservation |
| title_short | Resource Theft in Tropical Forest Communities: Implications for Non-timber Management, Livelihoods, and Conservation |
| title_sort | resource theft in tropical forest communities implications for non timber management livelihoods and conservation |
| topic | Amazon </span>Bertholletia excelsa<span class="proof_keywords"> Brazil nut community forest management land tenure non-timber forest products NTFPs |
| url | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol16/iss1/art4/ |
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