Community rules can help forests return after slash-and-burn farming
A global study suggests that traditional community social rules can effectively manage slash-and-burn farming to prevent deforestation. By relying on neighbor cooperation for labor, farmers are incentivized to keep plot sizes small, allowing forests to regenerate.
Why it matters
This research challenges the narrative that traditional agricultural practices are inherently destructive and highlights the role of social governance in sustainable land management.
Slash-and-burn farming was blamed for destroying rainforests, but a study of 18,000 forest patches found community rules can limit clearing and allow trees to return.Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the research shows that unwritten social rules in small communities keep land use under control, providing food while protecting long-term forest health.The global study was led by Sean Downey, an associate professor of anthropology at The Ohio State University. It looked at swidden agriculture, one of the oldest ways humans farm.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in