Protected Areas and Deforestation: New Results from High Resolution Panel Data

33 Pages Posted: 20 Apr 2016

See all articles by Brian Blankespoor

Brian Blankespoor

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG)

Susmita Dasgupta

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG)

David Wheeler

World Bank - Policy Research Department

Date Written: November 1, 2014

Abstract

This paper investigates the effectiveness of protected areas in slowing tropical forest clearing in 64 countries in Asia/Pacific, Africa, and Latin America for the period 2001-2012. The investigation compares deforestation rates inside and within 10 kilometers outside the boundary of protected areas. Annual time series of these deforestation rates were constructed from recently published high-resolution data on forest clearing. For 4,028 parks, panel estimation based on a variety of park characteristics was conducted to test if deforestation is lower in protected areas because of their protected status, or if other factors explain the difference. For a sample of 726 parks established since 2002, a test also was conducted to investigate the effect of park establishment on protection. The findings suggest park size, national park status, and management by indigenous people all have significant association with effective protection across regions. For the Asia/Pacific region, the test offers compelling evidence that park establishment has a near-immediate and powerful effect.

Keywords: Environmental Strategy, Environmental Management, Coastal and Marine Resources, Energy and Natural Resources

Suggested Citation

Blankespoor, Brian and Dasgupta, Susmita and Wheeler, David, Protected Areas and Deforestation: New Results from High Resolution Panel Data (November 1, 2014). World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 7091, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2519851

Brian Blankespoor (Contact Author)

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG) ( email )

1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433
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HOME PAGE: http://https://sites.google.com/site/decrgbrianblankespoor/

Susmita Dasgupta

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG) ( email )

1818 H. Street, N.W.
MSN3-311
Washington, DC 20433
United States
202-473-2679 (Phone)
202-522-3230 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://econ.worldbank.org/staff/sdasgupta

David Wheeler

World Bank - Policy Research Department ( email )

1818 H Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20433
United States

HOME PAGE: http://econ.worldbank.org/staff/dwheeler

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