This is an award under the Grants for Improving Doctoral Dissertation Research program. It is a study of the influence of developed countries on the establishment of land conservation areas and policies in developing countries. The research will be conducted through a combination of quantitative analysis of cross-national data on land conservation schemes and intensive analysis of three case study countries: Costa Rica, Kenya, and Brazil. Interviews with key players in these countries as well as in organizations based in the developed world will be carried out to try to understand the sources of variations in willingness to establish land conservation areas. Problems of sustainable development in the developing world have serious consequences for all of humanity. In recent years governments and organizations in the developed world have tried to foster sustainable development in various ways, such as by encouraging land conservation projects in the developing world. Yet we have a poor understanding of what causes some countries to respond favorably to such proposals and others to reject them. This project, by examining responses to land conservation appeals around the world as well as in three case study countries, will promote understanding of this vital topic. In addition to the scientific gains to be achieved by the research, this award will materially assist a highly promising student in completing research for the Ph.D. dissertation. Thus it contributes to the future scientific manpower of the nation and the thorough training of the next generation of social scientists. This project will also contribute to the Human Dimensions of Global Change research initiative.
