Livelihoods matter – A comparative political ecology of forest use on Hispaniola

Abstract

Forests provide grounds for human well-being through direct material, indirect environmental, and immaterial contributions. Here, we analyze the example of Hispaniola to understand reasons for (un)sustainable forest use. We pursue a dynamic comparative case study of the island's two countries from a political ecology perspective. From the literature, we derive a set of socio-economic hypotheses for the cause of de- and reforestation. Methodologically, we combine historical analysis and longitudinal comparisons with institutional analysis. We find that it was a governance mix of economic incentives, civil society driven initiatives, and alternative sources of energy that made the difference between reforestation in the Dominican Republic and deforestation in Haiti. We do not find evidence that it was population density or education levels that caused the difference. Colonial history can explain older differences but not divergent trends that started in the 1980s. Our findings suggest that if people shall stop overusing forests, they need alternative opportunities to maintain their livelihood and show how this has been accomplished in the Dominican Republic.