This study analyses seven factors used to explain the conversion of forest to pasture in Central America between 1979 and 1994: 1) favourable markets for livestock products; 2) subsidised credit and road construction; 3) land-tenure policies; 4) limited technological change in livestock production; 5) policies which reduce timber values; 6) reduced levels of political violence; and 7) characteristics specific to cattle which make conversion attractive. Deforestation rates in Central America declined in the 1980s, but remained high.

There have been several major research efforts on the rate and causes of Indonesia's deforestation in recent years and much associated literature, but there is still no consensus in the research community on these issues. This paper reviews the areas of uncertainty and confusion, and proposes questions that must be answered to get a better grasp of the subject. Among the key questions are: (1) How are we to define "forest", "deforestation" and "agency” in the context of Indonesia?

Het rapport doet verslag van een onderzoek naar ruimtelijke kwaliteit van vier kassengebieden in Europa: Zuid-Holland, Vlaanderen/Brabant/Antwerpen (België), Bretagne/Pays de la Loire (Frankrijk) en Almería (Spanje). Ruimtelijke kwaliteit wordt gebaseerd op gebruiks-, belevings- en toekomstwaarde. De vier gebieden worden op die aspecten met elkaar vergeleken. Nagegaan wordt of de buitenlandse ervaringen gebruikt kunnen worden om de ruimtelijke kwaliteit van Nederlandse kassengebieden te verbeteren.