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Determinants and impact of local institutions for common resource management

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 May 2001

Rasmus Heltberg
Rasmus Heltberg
Affiliation:
Institute of Economics, University of Copenhagen, Studiestraede 6, DK–1455 København K, Denmark. Tel: (+45) 35 32 44 00. Fax: (+45) 35 32 30 00. E-mail: rasmus.heltberg@econ.ku.dk
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Abstract

In this article, local institutions for forest conservation and management are analysed. The discussion is based on data from 37 villages and 180 households randomly sampled from a protected area in Rajasthan, India. Local management institutions are described, factors affecting inter-village differences in management institutions and collective action are analysed in a logit model, and the impact of institutions and other variables on common resource dependency and forest outcomes is tested using instrumental variable regression. Village population size has a positive effect and prior institutional experience a negative effect on the probability of collective action. It is concluded that efforts at improving forest management should not be confined to the poorest farmers. Large landowners are heavily involved in degrading use practises, especially when resources have good market potential. Local management institutions play a positive role in the area, but their impact appears insufficient to safeguard forests and commons from continued degradation. Conservation policies should target win–win options through interventions aimed at improving technologies for private and common lands as well as institutional changes.

Type
Policy Options
Information
Environment and Development Economics , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , May 2001 , pp. 183 - 208
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

Thanks to Finn Tarp, Alan Matthews, Henrik Hansen, colleagues at the Development Economics Research Group (DERG), Copenhagen, two anonymous referees and an editor of this journal for comments and suggestions; to Nagothu Udaya Sekhar for cooperation in field work; and to Rajasthan Forest Service for their assistance. The usual disclaimer applies.