State Policies and the Preservation of Forest Cover: Lessons from Contrasting Public-Policy Regimes in Costa Rica
Author(s)
Brockett, Charles D.; Gottfried, Robert R.
Abstract
Analyzes the impact of government policies on forests in Costa Rica. Before the 1970’s a laissez-faire policy produced essentially unrestrained deforestation. In the 1970’s and 1980’s the government adopted a more interventionist role, creating national parks, regulating cutting on private lands, and providing financial incentives for reforestation. Government staff, however, was inadequate to enforce legislation. The 1996 Ley Forestal incorporated both market-based and interventionist approaches to forest management. The program has produced some promising results, but Costa Rica needs support from the international community.
