Understanding environmental change through the eyes of locals: a comparative analysis in tropical rainforest agro-ecosystems in Bolivia and Brazil

Resumen

In recent decades, tropical rainforests have been subject to extensive deforestation, being responsible of most of greenhouse gas emissions on Earth. The causes behind such deforestation are complex, but can be largely attributed to agricultural expansion, infrastructure development and timber extraction. Numerous strategies and initiatives have been designed to preserve and restore tropical forests, particularly in the Amazon basin, the most biodiverse region in the world. However, the success of such strategies is determined by the context of countries in which they are developed, the causes of deforestation in those countries and the response at local level. This paper studies the major processes of environmental change through the eyes of locals in two tropical rainforest agro-ecosystems of the Amazon basin, the Bolivia lowlands of Guarayos and the Brazil Tapajos National forest. A comparative analysis between the two case studies is performed to analyze local perceptions within different contexts of environmental conservation (medium-high in Brazil, medium- low in Bolivia).