Remittance from migrants reinforces forest recovery for China’s reforestation policy

Qi Zhang, Shiqi Tao, Pamela Jagger, Lawrence Band, Richard Bilsborrow, Zhiqiang Zhang, Qingfeng Huang, Quanfa Zhang, Aaron Moody, Conghe Song
June 2024 Coupled Human and Natural Systems
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Remittance by migrants brings social-ecological benefits
Type
Journal article
Publication
PLoS ONE

Reforestation Policy & Rural Livelihoods: Migratio & Remittance

This study investigates the role remittance play in sustaining forest and livelihoods. The experiment is based on China’s largest payments for ecosystem services policy, Congversion of Cropland to Forest Program (CCFP).

Major findings:

  • Policy payments increase the probability of sending remittance by out-migrants to their origin households.
  • There is substantial forest regeneration and greening surrounding households sending out-migrants and receiving remittance.
  • But forest experience declining and browning in proximity to households with migrants but not receiving remittance.
  • The primary mechanism is that remittance reduces the reliance of households on natural capital from forests, particularly fuelwood.

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Fig. 1. Telecoupling relationships between rural and urban areas through migration and remittance flows.
Fig. 1. Telecoupling relationships between rural and urban areas through migration and remittance flows.

Fig. 2. Effect of remittance by migrants on change in forest coverage and greenness.
Fig. 2. Effect of remittance by migrants on change in forest coverage and greenness.

Fig. 3. Fuelwood use as an energy source by rural households during the household survey.
Fig. 3. Fuelwood use as an energy source by rural households during the household survey.




Author: Qi Zhang
Updated: June 2024

payments for ecosystem services forest policy labor migration social-ecological systems remittance China
Qi Zhang
Qi Zhang
Research Assistant Professor

Human-Environment Geographer

Shiqi Tao
Shiqi Tao
Doctoral Student

Geographer

Pamela Jagger
Pamela Jagger
Professor

Applied Political Economist

Lawrence Band
Lawrence Band
Ernest H. Ern Professor

Eco-Hydrologist

Richard Bilsborrow
Richard Bilsborrow
Research Professor

Economist, demographer, & geographer

Zhiqiang Zhang
Professor
Qingfeng Huang
Qingfeng Huang
Professor

Forest ecologists

Aaron Moody
Associate Professor

Remote Sensing Geographer

Conghe Song
Conghe Song
Professor

Geographer

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