Understanding Forest Transition in China through Perspective of Globalization

Since Mather(1992) initiated studies on forest transition – the process of initial forest decline followed by forest cover increase, a variety of underlying causes that could explain forest transition process in different states and regions have been documented. These causes include: agricultural intensification, demographic trend and rural-urban migration triggered by urbanization, have been considered as the main reasons forest transition occurred in Europe in the 19th century (Mather et al.1999, Mather and Needle 1998). At the beginning of the 20th century, the change of resource perceptions and highlight on recreation and ecosystem values of forest followed by economic growth, have prompted formulating conservation reserve programmes and forest-prone land policy, leading to forest recovery in US (Mather 1992). In India, timber prices or timber shortage encourage tree planting (Foster and Rosenzweig 2003). Policy measures aimed at arresting deforestation or promoting reforestation have been of great significance in relation to forest transitions in both China and Vietnam (Mather 2007).In addition, institution development is emphasized in studies of forest transition in Mexico and Nepal (Bray and Klepeis 2005, Klooster 2003, Nagendra 2007).