THE ROLE OF TENURE SECURITY AND PRIVATE TIME PREFERENCE IN NEOTROPICAL DEFORESTATION

A survey of 209 Chimane Amerindian households in 18 villages in the Bo livian rain forest was door to examine rite role of tenure security an d private time preference on the clearance of old growth forest Result s of Tobit regressions suggest that conflict with abutters was associa ted with more deforestation, but the average impatience of the househo ld heads was associated with less deforestation. Results suggest that governments should protect the land rights of indigenous people if the y wish to enhance conservation. Results cast doubts on the idea that h igh private time preference increases the depletion of natural resourc es.