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 its microeconomic manifestations in hills and mountains of developing countries do not necessarily threaten forest production, agriculture, livestock production, or watershed stability. Population growth can make the cost of land relative to labor increase. As this cost increases, people often change their methods of managing economic plants and animals and make land improvements to offset initial declines in productivity that result from more frequent use of land. Thus, the relationship between land productivity and relative land-labor costs often resembles a 'U'. Halting population growth or removing people from well-settled areas might not improve productivity or reduce some off-site damages. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.