Assessing natural forest management as a tool for tropical forest conservation

In the last several years, as attempts have been made to reconcile conservation and development agendas, many conservation organizations have embraced the notion that careful use of timber resources from natural forests could be part of a viable conservation strategy. Unfortunately, investments in "natural forest management" are financially unattractive and governments are generally unwilling or unable to force loggers to make such investments. Even where these problems can be overcome, advocates of conservation need to carefully consider whether natural forest management will result in less damage than would have occurred otherwise. The answer to this question depends on what kind of human intervention would have taken place in the absence of the forestry project: little or none; uncontrolled logging or deforestation for agriculture. Only in the latter case does natural forest management unquestionably represent an environmental improvement. Finally, an assessment must be made as to whether forestry is a cost-effective way of achieving conservation goals. After analyzing these factors, we conclude that in some limited circumstances natural forest management represents a promising conservation strategy.