Protected Areas under Weak Institutions: Evidence from Colombia

This paper assesses the effects of protected areas in Colombia using high-resolution forest loss imagery for the period 2001-2012. We combine two empirical strategies to identify causal effects: Regression discontinuity for... [ view full abstract ]

This paper assesses the effects of protected areas in Colombia using high-resolution forest loss imagery for the period 2001-2012. We combine two empirical strategies to identify causal effects: Regression discontinuity for protected areas created before 2001 (long-term effects) and difference-in-differences for areas create after 2001 (short-term effects). Results indicate that both natural protected areas (national and regional) and collective lands (Indigenous Reserves and Afro-Colombian lands) have significantly contributed to reducing forest loss. While the short-term effects tend to be larger in remote areas, in the long-term protected areas perform consistently better in densely populated areas and near roads. Given the predominance of illicit activities such as coca crops and gold mining in remote areas, we interpret our findings as suggestive evidence that protected areas are more effective when authorities are able to uphold the rule of law.

Keywords: Protected areas, deforestation, regression discontinuity, Colombia