Conversion of tropical forests reduces biodiversity and releases stored carbon. Although a
part of tropical deforestation resulting from slash-and-burn is linked to poverty of people
living at the forest margins the conditions necessary for increased productivity of
agroforestry and other land use systems to reduce poverty
and
reduce deforestation are not
well understood. The key hypothesis underlying Phase II of the ASB research project in
Indonesia can be summarized as:
Intensifying land use as an alternative to slash-and-burn
simultaneously can reduce deforestation and
reduce poverty.
This research problem was
identified at the conclusion of Phase I of the project and has remained the focus of research
through Phase II.
The research programme in Phase II was designed to better understand how the
Government of Indonesia and donor agencies could balance global environmental
objectives with economic development and poverty reduction. While conversion of primary
forest has the major effect on biodiversity and carbon stocks the resulting land uses also
matter a great deal for the supply of these global public goods. Measurement of differences
among environmental consequences of the various land uses provides the basis for
quantifying major tradeoffs involved in land use change.