Grassroots to grassroots: Why forest preservation was rapid at Loma Alta, Ecuador

Abstract

What social arrangements stop deforestation? This paper chronicles the sociological factors underlying the rapid establishment, in 14 months, of a community-owned protected forest in Ecuador. Methods developed by the International Forestry Resources and Institutions (IFRI) research program provide a stakeholder analysis related to trends in deforestation. Interviews, community meetings, and informal discussions provide data on attitudes of local people during and after establishment of the forest preserve. Knowledge and resources external to the community motivated local people to preserve a cloud forest, but local institutions and communal land tenure were critical for the rapid establishment of the protected area. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.