Working Forests in the Neotropics: Conservation Through Sustainable Management?

Neotropical forests sustain a wealth of biodiversity, provide a wide range of ecosystem services and products, and support the livelihoods of millions of people. But is forest management a viable conservation strategy in the tropics? Supporters of sustainable forest management have promoted it as a solution to problems of both biodiversity protection and economic stagnation. Detractors insist that any conservation strategy short of fully protected status is a waste of resources and that forest management actually hastens deforestation. By focusing on a set of critical issues and case studies, this book explores the territory between these positions, highlighting the major factors that contribute to or detract from the chances of achieving forest conservation through sustainable management.

Daniel J. Zarin is an Associate Professor in the School of Forest Resources and Conservation at the University of Florida, where he is Director of the Working Forests in the Tropics Program.



Janaki R. R. Alavalapati is an Associate Professor in the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida.



Francis E. Putz is a Professor of Botany at the University of Florida and a Senior Research Associate at the Center for International Forestry Research. 



Marianne Schmink is Professor of Latin American Studies and Anthropology at the University of Florida, where she is Director of the Tropical Conservation and Development program.