Landholders' perceptions on legal reserves and agricultural intensification: Diversity and implications for forest conservation in the eastern Brazilian Amazon

Forest conservation on privately owned lands is a cornerstone of the Brazilian environmental policy framework. Brazilian legislation requires that all farms in the country maintain and protect forest areas known as Legal Reserves. Since Legal Reserves have major implications for forest conservation...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bianchi, F.J.J.A (Author), Corbeels, M. (Author), Pinillos, D. (Author), Poccard-Chapuis, R. (Author), R. Ballester, M.V (Author), Schulte, R.P (Author), Timler, C.J (Author), Tittonell, P. (Author)
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier B.V. 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:View Fulltext in Publisher
LEADER 03774nam a2200589Ia 4500
001 10.1016-j.forpol.2021.102504
008 220427s2021 CNT 000 0 und d
020 |a 13899341 (ISSN) 
245 1 0 |a Landholders' perceptions on legal reserves and agricultural intensification: Diversity and implications for forest conservation in the eastern Brazilian Amazon 
260 0 |b Elsevier B.V.  |c 2021 
856 |z View Fulltext in Publisher  |u https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2021.102504 
520 3 |a Forest conservation on privately owned lands is a cornerstone of the Brazilian environmental policy framework. Brazilian legislation requires that all farms in the country maintain and protect forest areas known as Legal Reserves. Since Legal Reserves have major implications for forest conservation and agricultural production, it is key that we understand landholders' perceptions towards Legal Reserves. We applied Q methodology to identify different perspectives of medium and large landholders on Legal Reserves and their relation to agricultural intensification in the municipality of Paragominas, eastern Amazon. We conducted 31 interviews in which landholders sorted 36 statements in a quasi-normal distribution array. Three groups of landholders were identified: 1) Land use planning enthusiasts (n = 16) were interested in zoning initiatives to explore alternative landscape designs and legislation that may deliver better conservation and production outcomes; 2) Agrochemical-based agriculture supporters (n = 7) held the most critical views against Legal Reserves and perceived their costs as higher than the potential environmental and life quality benefits; 3) Policy complacent-market responders (n = 4) showed no interest in Legal Reserves reforms and were the most market driven group. While Paragominas has achieved notable successes in halting large-scale deforestation through a social “Green Municipality” pact, addressing persisting forest degradation and fragmentation in the region remains a key priority. Local governance initiatives that account for multi-stakeholder perceptions on forest conservation can foster dialogue and mutual understanding to effectively conserve and restore Legal Reserves. Insights on large landholders' perceptions on Legal Reserves can inform such governance processes to reconcile forest conservation and sustainable agricultural intensification in Paragominas. © 2021 The Author(s) 
650 0 4 |a Agricultural intensification 
650 0 4 |a Agricultural intensification 
650 0 4 |a Brazilian Amazon 
650 0 4 |a Brazilian Amazon 
650 0 4 |a Commerce 
650 0 4 |a Commerce 
650 0 4 |a Conservation 
650 0 4 |a Conservation 
650 0 4 |a Deforestation 
650 0 4 |a Deforestation 
650 0 4 |a Environmental policy 
650 0 4 |a Environmental regulations 
650 0 4 |a Environmental Regulations 
650 0 4 |a Farmer perception 
650 0 4 |a Farmer perceptions 
650 0 4 |a Forest area 
650 0 4 |a Forest conservation 
650 0 4 |a Forest conservation 
650 0 4 |a Forest protection 
650 0 4 |a Forest protection 
650 0 4 |a Land use 
650 0 4 |a Land Use 
650 0 4 |a Legal reserve 
650 0 4 |a Legal Reserve 
650 0 4 |a Legislation 
650 0 4 |a Normal distribution 
650 0 4 |a Policy framework 
650 0 4 |a Production 
650 0 4 |a Q methodology 
650 0 4 |a Q methodology 
650 0 4 |a Reserves 
700 1 |a Bianchi, F.J.J.A.  |e author 
700 1 |a Corbeels, M.  |e author 
700 1 |a Pinillos, D.  |e author 
700 1 |a Poccard-Chapuis, R.  |e author 
700 1 |a R. Ballester, M.V.  |e author 
700 1 |a Schulte, R.P.  |e author 
700 1 |a Timler, C.J.  |e author 
700 1 |a Tittonell, P.  |e author 
773 |t Forest Policy and Economics