Because we can't eat trees: Smallholders' willingness-to-accept to avoid deforestation in Cameroon

• Author / Creator

  Thompson, Dara. Y. L.

• Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) has been brought forth by the global community as a strategy to positively impact the climate. Key costs in implementing REDD strategies are the payments to individuals and/or groups that provide emission abatement through forest maintenance. In this study, estimation of compensation levels for individual smallholders in Cameroon is derived through measuring their willingness to accept (WTA) land use restrictions. Through a stated preference approach, heads of households are asked to indicate the minimum amount that each would be WTA to maintain forested land based on a hypothetical contract that would limit their land or tree clearing activities for 10 years. Smallholder perceptions were also captured through responses to Likert-type statements. Compared to previous opportunity cost estimates, WTA results suggest that generally, smallholders require more compensation to participate in REDD than production-based opportunity cost approaches indicate.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Avoided deforestation
  • REDD
  • Smallholder agriculture
  • PES
  • Contingent valuation
  • Sub-saharan Africa

• Graduation date

  Fall 2014

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3BN9X891

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.