Do Property Rights Matter for Conservation? Family Land, Forests and Trees in Saint Lucia, West Indies

Property rights are a central topic in conservation debates, but their influence on environmental outcomes is rarely carefully assessed. This study compared land use, tree planting practices and arboreal vegetation on government, estate private, smallholder private and communal “family” lands in Saint Lucia. The influence of tenure was apparent, but overall not a strong predictor of either farmer practices or vegetation characteristics. Higher abundance of planted trees on smallholder private lands was offset by greater abundance of natural forest trees on estate and family lands. Tree planting and abandonment of cultivation (with ensuing afforestation) were commonplace on all three types of land. The influence of tenure was swamped by other factors shaping farmer decisions to plant trees, cut trees or abandon cultivation, including local topography and changing commodity and labor markets. Findings from this study challenge the assumption that property rights necessarily determine resource and environmental outcomes.