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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

The forest for the trees. Government policies and the misuse of forest resources

Book ·
OSTI ID:7188828

Threats to the world's forests are evoking responses at all levels, from villages to international meetings of world leaders. Experts have clearly established the extent of forest decline and the associated economic, social, and environmental consequences. They have also discussed deforestation's principal causes: shifting cultivation, agricultural conversion, fuelwood gathering, and commercial exploitation. This report takes the analysis a step farther by showing how governments, committed in principle to conservation and wise resource use, are aggravating the losses of their forests through misguided policies. In this report, the author identifies government policies in both the United States and Third World countries that can be changed to reduce forest wastage without sacrificing other economic objectives. The report includes case studies from China, Indonsia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brazil, West Africa, and the United States.

OSTI ID:
7188828
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English