Effects of demographic and related microeconomic change on and quality in hills and mountains of developing countries

More than 70 empirical studies indicate that local population growth and it s microeconomic manifestations in hills and mountains of developing countri es do not necessarily threaten forest production, agriculture, livestock pr oduction, or watershed stability. Population growth can make the cost of la nd relative to labor increase. As this cost increases, people often change their methods of managing economic plants and animals and make land improve ments to offset initial declines in productivity that result from more freq uent use of land. Thus, the relationship between land productivity and rela tive land-labor costs often resembles a 'U'. Halting population growth or r emoving people from well-settled areas might not improve productivity or re duce some off-site damages. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reser ved.