Private or Socialistic Forestry?: Forest Transition in Finland vs. Deforestation in the Tropics

ISBN-13: 9789048138951 / Angielski / Twarda / 2012 / 464 str.

Matti Palo

Opis

Addresses the question: Why Finland succeeded to stop deforestation a century ago and why not the same is feasible in the contemporary tropical countries? This book presents a novel integrated theory within which this case study on Finland and contemporary modeling of underlying causes of tropical deforestation are developed.

Recenzje

From the reviews:

"The text examines why Finland has been successful in curbing deforestation and compares the processes with those taking place in the tropics. ... The text is easy to read and very well written and organized. Each section contains a good introduction and conclusion. ... This book is an excellent guide for those seeking to combat deforestation and should be a boon to those who want a model to follow especially at the national level." (H. Gyde Lund, Amazon, June, 2012)

"The purpose of the book is to present a 'universal forest transition theory' and to apply this theory ex post (looking back) to forest transition in Finland during the past hundred years and ex ante (looking ahead) to contemporary tropical deforestation. ... The book, which contains a wealth of experience, useful data and references to related scientific studies, is considered indispensible for graduate students of political science, international forestry, geography, environment science and related fields. ... It should be available in all relevant research libraries." (Klaus von Gadow, Forstarchiv, Vol. 83 (5), 2012)

Spis treści

1. Rationale of the Book

1.1 Problem of Continuous Tropical Deforestation

1.2 Research on Causes of Tropical Deforestation

1.3 Forest Transitions in Finland

1.4 Role of Theories and Purpose of the Book

1.5 Structure of the Book

References

2. Theory, Method and Data

2.1 Sustained Yield Industrial Forestry

2.2 Existing Theories of Forest Transition

2.3 Theory of Ecological Economics

2.4 Theory of Institutional Economics

2.5 Theories of Property Rights and Public Goods

2.6 Forest-based Development Theory

2.7 Universal System Causality Model of Forest Transition

2.8 Methods and Data

2.9 Discussion

References

3. Evolution of Preindustrial Forestry in Finland

3.1 Hunting and Gathering Economy

3.2 Shifting Cultivation

3.3 Conversion of Forests for Agriculture

3.4 Industrial Exploitation of Forests

3.5 Great Land Reform

3.6 State Regulatory Institutions

3.7 Informal Institutions

3.8 International Impacts

3.9 Discussion

References

4. Transition to Industrial Forestry in Finland

4.1 De Facto Transition 1900–1960

4.2 Ecological Conditions

4.3 Informal Institutions

4.4 Formal Institutions

4.5 Enforcement of Institutions

4.6 Forest-based Development

4.7 Coevolution of Forestry and Society

4.8 Inter-Sector Factors

4.9 International Factors

4.10 Transition to Postindustrial Forestry after 1960

4.11 Discussion and Conclusions

References

5. Deforestation in the Tropics

5.1 Deforestation Tragedy of Socialistic Forestry

5.2 Causes of deforestation in poor and less poor tropical countries

5.3 Underlying causes of expansion of plantations forests among

tropical countries

5.4 Causes and scenarios of deforestation in Mexico

5.5 Role of tropical forests in alleviation of poverty

5.6 Wild West in Uses of Forest Data in Deforestation Studies

5.7 Failures in Global Forest Politics

5.8 Discussion and Conclusions

6. Private Forestry, Community Forestry or Socialistic-Forestry for Forest Transition?

6.1 Comparison of Findings from the Tropical Countries, Mexico and Finland

6.2 Policy Implications

References

7. Summary of the Book

7.1 Summary of the Rationale of the Book (Chapter 1)

7.2 Summary of the Theory of Deforestation and Forest Transition (Chapter 2)

7.3 Summary of Preindustrial Forestry in Finland (Chapter 3)

7.4 Summary: the Historical Transition to Sustainable Industrial Forestry in Finland (Chapter 4)

7.5 Summary of the Coevolution of Forestry and Society in Finland (Section 4. 7)

7.6 Summary of the Underlying Causes Terminating Deforestation and Facilitating Forest Transition in Finland 1870–1920 (Section 4.11)

7.7 Summary of the Deforestation Tragedy of socialistic-Forestry (Section 5.1)

7.8 Summary of Deforestation in Poor and Less Poor Tropical Countries (Section 5.2)

7.9 Summary: Underlying Causes of Expansion of Plantations Forests in Tropical Countries (Section 5.3)

7.10 Summary: Causes and Scenarios of Deforestation in Mexico (Section 5.4)

7.11 Summary: Role of Tropical Forests in Alleviating Poverty (Section 5.5)

7.12 Summary: ‘Wild West’ in Uses of Forest Area Data in Deforestation Studies (Section 5.6)

7.13 Summary: Failures of Global Forest Politics in Response to Tropical Deforestation (Section 5.7)

7.14 Summary: Deforestation and Reforestation Substudies Interaction (Section 5.8)

7.15 Summary: Private, Community or Socialistic Forestry for Forest Transition? (Chapter 6)

Blurb

While deforestation continues at an alarming rate around the world, discussions on the range of underlying causes continue. The premise is that studying successful transitions from deforestation to sustainable forestry ex post in Finland can provide novel insights into how deforestation in the tropics might be reduced in the future. Our fundamental question here is why Finland succeeded to stop deforestation for a century ago and why not the same is feasible in the contemporary tropical countries?

 

This book presents a novel integrated theory within which this case study on Finland and contemporary modeling of underlying causes of tropical deforestation are developed. Finland remains the world’s second largest net exporter of forest products, while maintaining the highest forest cover in Europe. A transition from deforestation to sustainable industrial forestry took place in Finland during the first part of the 20^th century. The underlying causes of this transition are compared via our theory with deforestation in 74 contemporary tropical countries. Both appear similar and support our theory.

 

The interaction of public policies and market institutions has appeared to be critical during this transition. The study’s findings suggest that private forest ownership with a continuous increase in the real value of forests and alleviation of poverty under non-corruptive conditions has been a necessary, but not a sufficient, condition for this transition. In a parallel way public policies have also proved to be a necessary, but not sufficient, condition in this transition. 

 

The conclusion is that socialistic forestry along with corruption is artificially maintaining too low values in the tropical forests. The opportunity cost of sustainable forestry remains too high and deforestation by extensification of agriculture therefore continues. The prevailing socialistic forestry with dominating public forest ownership is by purpose maintaining administratively set low stumpage prices leading to low value of forests, wide corruption and continuous forest degradation and deforestation. An effective remedy – to raise the value of forests - is found to be within forestry.