Stable Forest Cover under Increasing Populations of Swidden Cultivators

Authors concluded from satellite images' analysis and field surveys that, post war growth of population relying on swidden farming, was the main cause of forest cover loss in Nakai-Nam Theun National Protected Area (NNT NPA) during 1960s and 1970s. The trend has been however slowed down since 1980s by increasing reliance on foreign demand on local forest resources such as wildlife. Therefore alleviating population growth, rather than banning/controlling swidden farming and/or wildlife trade, may be more effective in preserving forest and wildlife. Downloadable at http://dlc.dlib.indiana.edu/archive/00005348/01/ES-2009-2873.pdf