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| Article Title | Developing indicators of economic value and biodiversity loss forrubber plantations in Xishuangbanna, southwest China: A case studyfrom Menglun township | | Author | Yi Zhuangfang, Charles H. Cannon, Jin Chen, Cheng-Xi Ye and Ruth D. Swetnam | | Year | 2014 | | Journal Title | Ecological Indicators | | Institution | Elsevier Ltd | | Volume | 36 | | Pages | 788-797 | | Call Number | JA0529-14 | | Keywords | Eco-compensation, Reforestation, GIS, Net present value, Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plantations, Spatially-explicit models |
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| Abstract: |
| In Xishuangbanna, southwest China, rubber plantations are lucrative and have expanded dramatically in the past two decades, leaving little natural forest. The local government hopes to use eco-compensationmechanisms to promote forest restoration without forcing smallholders to forego profits. Based on alandscape productivity model for two management systems and given a range of prices, we assessedthe feasibility of this concept by constructing a spatially explicit map of net present value (NPV) of rub-ber plantations. We found that roughly 7% of existing plantations generally had negative NPV, thereforeopportunity costs would be negligible. But to restore forest in buffer zones along roads and rivers as rec-ommended by the state government, more substantial opportunity costs were observed because theseareas have high NPV values. Additionally, plantations situated above 900 m elevation or on slopes > 24?were not profitable and a conversion ban should be enforced. Opportunity costs and plant species bio-diversity are positively correlated, so any policy to protect species-rich areas must take this relationshipinto consideration. Eco-compensation schemes can feasibly promote forest restoration on marginal landsand spatially-explicit mapping of NPV can provide monetary targets to adequately recover opportunitycosts for smallholders. |
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