Socio-economic values and tropical rain forest conservation

Many threats to tropical forests and their biodiversity result from social and economic factors. Policies to conserve the forests depend on being able to demonstrate their economic value and on social measures involving local community participation. Research to calculate the total economic value of the forests has involved estimating the direct use value of forest products, the indirect values from environmental benefits and services, and option and existence values. Threats to the forest have endangered the social and economic welfare of many indigenous groups; their survival and the conservation of the forests can often be achieved by reinforcing traditional systems of land tenure and environmental management.