Title
Tenure security, private time preference, and use of natural resources among lowland Bolivian Amerindians
Author(s)
Godoy, R; Kirby, K; Wilkie, D
Published
2001
Publisher
Ecological Economics
Abstract
To estimate the effect of tenure security and private time preference on the use of different types of natural resources, such as old-growth and fallow forests, fish, and game, we did a survey and a psychological experiment with 443 households in 42 villages of Yuracare, Mojeno, Tsimane', and Chiquitano Indians in the Bolivian lowlands. Results of multivariate tobit regressions suggest that: (1) among the Yuracare, Tsimane', and Mojeno rates of private time preference had a small economic and statistical effect on the use of natural resources and (2) tenure security, proxied by residence duration in the village and by conflict with abutters, only affected the consumption of wildlife (principally of game). Results suggest that public policies to improve property rights over natural resources among indigenous people might have greater immediate impact on the conservation of wildlife than on the conservation of forest cover. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords
DELAYED REWARDS; DISCOUNT RATES; DEFORESTATION; OWNERSHIP; ROADS
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PUB11434