Project Details
Summary
Globally, Ecuador has played an important role in the protection and conservation of its tropical forests to access international resources such as the results-based payment from REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). Despite these efforts to reduce forest loss, deforestation in the country has not decreased. To address forest loss, various initiatives have been implemented, such as the Socio Bosque program, land acquisition for conservation, forest land titling, and, of course, the creation of protected areas.
However, the impact or effectiveness of these mechanisms on avoided deforestation remains unknown. Therefore, the goal of this research is to provide insights through robust empirical information from spatial analysis and the use of econometric statistical techniques to determine where and why conservation mechanisms have the greatest impact on avoided deforestation, to contribute to better decision-making and provide conservation professionals with useful information.
This project pursues the following research questions: i) How much more tropical Andean forest would have been deforested in the absence of conservation mechanisms? ii) How do the location and conservation mechanisms influence the results of avoided deforestation in the tropical Andean forest?
APs = protected areas; PSB = Socio Bosque program; PTT = land titling program; AT = land acquisition.
However, the impact or effectiveness of these mechanisms on avoided deforestation remains unknown. Therefore, the goal of this research is to provide insights through robust empirical information from spatial analysis and the use of econometric statistical techniques to determine where and why conservation mechanisms have the greatest impact on avoided deforestation, to contribute to better decision-making and provide conservation professionals with useful information.
This project pursues the following research questions: i) How much more tropical Andean forest would have been deforested in the absence of conservation mechanisms? ii) How do the location and conservation mechanisms influence the results of avoided deforestation in the tropical Andean forest?
APs = protected areas; PSB = Socio Bosque program; PTT = land titling program; AT = land acquisition.
General Objective
Evaluate the impact of forest and land conservation mechanisms on avoided deforestation in the tropical Andean forest.
Specific Objectives
• Analyze spatial changes in land cover and land use under different forest and forestland conservation mechanisms, as well as land acquisition programs.
• Estimate the impact of forest conservation and forestland acquisition mechanisms on avoided deforestation and ecosystem services in the tropical Andean forest using a spatial and quasi-experimental approach.
• Analyze the spatiotemporal interactions between the Socio-Forest Program, land acquisition, protected areas, and land titling to provide empirical evidence of potential synergies or trade-offs among these mechanisms.
• Estimate the impact of forest conservation and forestland acquisition mechanisms on avoided deforestation and ecosystem services in the tropical Andean forest using a spatial and quasi-experimental approach.
• Analyze the spatiotemporal interactions between the Socio-Forest Program, land acquisition, protected areas, and land titling to provide empirical evidence of potential synergies or trade-offs among these mechanisms.
Funding institutions
Jocotoco Foundation + 2024
| Acronym | ECG-024-2024 |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Effective start/end date | 1/10/24 → … |