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Reforesting Landscapes pp 227–252Cite as

Forest Expansion in Northwest Costa Rica: Conjuncture of the Global Market, Land-Use Intensification, and Forest Protection

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Part of the book series: Landscape Series ((LAEC,volume 10))

Abstract

Though widely documented in developed countries, understanding of how and whether forest transitions occur in the developing world is limited. This research entails a spatially explicit, remote sensing based analysis of land cover conversion trends in northwest Costa Rica to explore the mechanisms driving the observed forest expansion. I assess the physical and socioeconomic landscape setting for dominant conversion patterns in light of broader conservation and development initiatives, along with relevant economic trends, in order to propose a conceptual model accounting for forest expansion. Results demonstrate that conversion processes are interrelated and characterized by unique landscape niches. Agricultural intensification occurred in lowland areas, facilitating reforestation of marginal grasslands in upland areas. Protected area establishment facilitated forest recovery. Yet forest conservation and regeneration were significant on private property as well due to the conjuncture of declining beef prices, agricultural intensification and revised forestry policies. Elements of this study provide support for aspects of the classic explanations for forest transitions while highlighting the limitations of forest transition theory to account for observed reforestation trends.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded through a Fulbright Fellowship and a NASA pre-doctoral fellowship. Many thanks are owed to the Organization for Tropical Studies, Jose Cubero of FONAFIFO, and Francisco Ramiriz and Orlando Matarrita of SINAC/MINAE for their assistance and support. Helpful comments and suggestions by reviewers are especially appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Natural Resources & Environment, Land Use & Environmental Change Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Amy E. Daniels

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  1. Amy E. Daniels
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Correspondence to Amy E. Daniels .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ecology & the Environment (ATREE), Ashoka Trust for Research in, Royal Enclave, Srirampura, Bangalore, 560064, India

    Harini Nagendra

  2. Dept. Geography, University of Florida, Turlington Hall 3141, Gainesville, 32611-7315, U.S.A.

    Jane Southworth

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Daniels, A.E. (2009). Forest Expansion in Northwest Costa Rica: Conjuncture of the Global Market, Land-Use Intensification, and Forest Protection. In: Nagendra, H., Southworth, J. (eds) Reforesting Landscapes. Landscape Series, vol 10. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9656-3_10

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