Tenure security, private time preference, and use of natural resources among lowland Bolivian Amerindians

To estimate the effect of tenure security and private time preference on th e use of different types of natural resources, such as old-growth and fallo w forests, fish, and game, we did a survey and a psychological experiment w ith 443 households in 42 villages of Yuracare, Mojeno, Tsimane', and Chiqui tano Indians in the Bolivian lowlands. Results of multivariate tobit regres sions suggest that: (1) among the Yuracare, Tsimane', and Mojeno rates of p rivate time preference had a small economic and statistical effect on the u se of natural resources and (2) tenure security, proxied by residence durat ion in the village and by conflict with abutters, only affected the consump tion of wildlife (principally of game). Results suggest that public policie s to improve property rights over natural resources among indigenous people might have greater immediate impact on the conservation of wildlife than o n the conservation of forest cover. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All righ ts reserved.