Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2009. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-100). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 1997. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 240-247). Also available online.

Report (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. M.S. 1992. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-66). Also available via the Internet.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D., Natural Resources with a concentration in Forests and Biodiversity)--University of Idaho and Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza, May 2007. / Major professor: Edward O. Garton and Celia A. Harvey. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by subscription or by purchasing the individual file.

ix, 48 p. : maps. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / This thesis examines the roots of deforestation in Malawi and how it has been problematized and turned into an accepted discourse of an impending crisis. I argue that deforestation in Malawi has been prioritized in order to suit the needs of Malawi's powerful elite and does not reflect the real and urgent problems of Malawi's small farmers. Deforestation has been explained by narratives which suggest that the farmers are to blame either because they have over-consumed fuelwood without replanting or have cut too many trees for expanding agriculture. These narratives not only mask the ultimate cause of deforestation, which is unequal access to land, but also deflect attention from more immediate problems. In recent surveys, however, Malawi's farmers have been clear about their priorities. Deforestation is a concern, but poverty and lack of food security are their chief problems. / Committee in charge: Peter Walker, Chairperson; Dennis Galvan, Member

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Johannesburg, 2013 / Deforestation is a growing environmental concern in tropical areas of the world where it is believed that the increase in human population and associated land use practices are the key drivers of this land cover change transition. This research tests these hypotheses in the Ho Municipality of Ghana and aims to predict future land cover change by assessing remote sensing images and considering the complex interrelationships and synergies of multiple driving forces. The study specifically examines how multiple driving forces of land cover change transition have contributed to the accelerating pace of deforestation in the last 25 years based on observed trends in land use and remotely sensed land cover change data. The study looks at the future prospects for Ghana’s forests. The field study was carried out in four settlements of the Ho Municipality namely Wumenu, Agbokofe, Abutia Kloe and Takla. The data collection was done using structured questionnaires administered to 376 households to investigate their opinions regarding the driving forces of deforestation in the area. The analysis of questionnaire data involved the use of descriptive statistics and factor analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) software. Satellite images comprising, Landsat MSS 1975, Landsat TM 1991 and Landsat ETM+ 2001 were classified using the maximum likelihood algorithm supervised classification to determine the extent and nature of vegetation cover change and to assess the potential of using a Markov model to predict the future state of forest cover. The research concludes that the municipality lost forest cover from 1975 to 2001 based on satellite and questionnaire data analysis which suggests that the following are the key underlying drivers of deforestation: demographic pressure, poverty, institutional factors, policies, technology and attitudes. Proximate drivers of deforestation are agricultural expansion, illegal logging and wood energy exploitation. The Markov models showed that in the next 25 years various probabilities of change are possible, such as no change in forest cover, forest cover loss and some probabilities of increase in forest cover. These predictions illustrate the need to study the complex driving forces of change to interpret models that are solely based on past land use change transition. Based on the results of the household surveys, current drivers are unlikely to change. Land use planners should thus be aware that deforestation in Ghana is most likely going to continue. On the basis of these findings the following recommendations have been made. There is a need to intensify tree planting activities in the municipality to increase forest cover. Planting of fast maturing trees for woodlots will reduce pressure on the forest for wood energy. Public education on the advantages of family planning should be undertaken by the Municipal Assembly and NGOs working in the area to reduce population pressure on forests. Poverty reduction strategies should focus on alternative livelihood opportunities to divert attention from forest goods while also increasing the protection of remaining forests. Lastly, community participative approaches to forest management could mitigate both underlying and proximate causes of deforestation.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Miami, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 320-341).

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, 2003. / Includes bibliography.

It is argued in this thesis that the climate signal shows more strongly in the runoff regime of the Gambia River Basin (GRB) than the signal from deforestation. Partial and multiple regression was used to partition the effects on runoff of rainfall characteristics and deforestation over the GRB since the turn of this century. The expected shorter, higher more rapidly responding wet season flood peaks which result from deforestation have not occurred in the GRB. Rather, peak floods have fluctuated since the beginning of the century, but showing a clear declining trend similar to the rainfall regime. The large size (z 7550 km') of the sub-catchments of the GRB inhibit synchronisation of the rapid runoff that is associated with deforestation. Furthermore, deforestation, as it occurs in the GRB, takes place piece-meal as small plots of land are cleared. The nature of clearance of vegetation is important; the vegetation cleared is either replaced with another type of vegetation, for example, groundnuts or millet, or is soon allowed to recover after a cropping phase. Surface and sub-surface hydrological processes within the GRB are therefore not subjected to the severe form of alteration that characterise massive and total clearance of vegetation schemes in urban development. However, deforestation has significantly affected low flowsthere are now longer periods of lower dry season flows, and these are ascribed to the diminishing recharge of ground water. By augmenting overland flow and reducing interception and infiltration, deforestation causes a reduction in ground water recharge, which is an important component of dry season flows. Both climate change and deforestation have worked in parallel to cause a fluctuating but declining flow regime of the Gambia River. This, in turn, affects both the agricultural potential and productivity of the GRB.