Forest transition its causes and environmental consequences: An empirical evidence from Yunnan of Southwest China

China is experiencing forest transition with its associated environmental and geopolitical impacts. This paper examines forest transition with empirical evidences experienced over the last half century at five sites in Yunnan Province of Southwest China. Results suggest that the forest transitions in Yunnan were mainly driven by economic growth that created off-farm opportunities. It was also supported by state policies favourable for environmental conservation that secured tenure and provided technical assistance and financial compensation. The forest transition in China contributes to global carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation and in improving local and regional environment. The forest transition was also useful in understanding people and land interactions in the coupled human-environment systems in Yunnan of the eastern Himalayas; this also provided potential policy understandings for regional application specifically when it comes to environmental conservation and economic development. Resumen: China esta experimentando una transicion forestal que tiene asociados impactos ambientales y geopoliticos. Este articulo examina la transicion forestal a partir de evidencias empiricas acumuladas durante el ultimo medio siglo en cinco sitios de la Provincia Yunnan, en el suroeste de China. Los resultados sugieren que las transiciones forestales en Yunnan fueron motivadas principalmente por el crecimiento economico que creo oportunidades fuera de las granjas. Tambien fueron apoyadas por politicas estatales favorables para la conservacion ambiental que aseguraron la tenencia de la propiedad y brindaron asistencia tecnica y compensacion economica. La transicion forestal en China contribuye al secuestro mundial de carbono, la conservacion de la biodiversidad y el mejoramiento del ambiente local y regional. La transicion forestal tambien fue util para entender las interacciones entre la gente y la tierra en los sistemas acoplados humanoambiente en Yunnan en el oriente de los Himalaya; tambien proporciono entendimientos potenciales de politicas de aplicacion regional, especificamente cuando se trata de conservacion ambiental y desarrollo economico. Resumo: A China esta experimentando uma transicao florestal que tem impactos ambientais e geopoliticos associados. Este artigo examina a transicao florestal a partir de evidencias empiricas acumuladas durante o ultimo meio seculo em cinco estacoes da provincia de Yunnan, no sudoeste da China. Os resultados sugerem que as transicoes florestais em Yunnan foram principalmente motivadas pelo crescimento economico que criou oportunidades fora das fazendas. Elas foram tambem apoiadas por politicas publicas favoraveis a conservacao ambiental que asseguraram a posse da terra e proporcionaram assistencia tecnica e compensacoes financeiras. A transicao * Corresponding Author; e-mail: J.C.Xu@cgiar.org 138 FOREST TRANSITION florestal na China contribui para o sequestro mundial de carbono, para a conservacao da biodiversidade e melhoria do ambiente local e regional. A transicao florestal foi tambem util para entender as interaccoes entre a populacao e a terra nos sistemas conjuntos homem-ambiente em Yunnan nos Himalaias orientais; esta tambem proporcionou entendimentos potenciais quanto a politicas de aplicacao regional, especificamente quando se trata de conservacao ambiental e desenvolvimento economico.

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