January 23, 2019
ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes Associate Director for Conservation Evidence Samantha Cheng was the lead author of a paper titled “A systemic map of evidence on the contribution of forests to poverty alleviation” published in the Environmental Evidence Journal.
Abstract:
Forests provide an essential resource to the livelihoods of an estimated 20% of the global population. The contribution of forest ecosystems and forest-based resources to poverty reduction is increasingly emphasized in international policy discourse and conservation and development investments.
However, evidence measuring the effect of forest-based activities on poverty outcomes remains scattered and unclear. Lack of systematic understanding of forest-poverty relationships, in turn, inhibits research, policymaking, and efficient financial resource allocation.