Private and public incomes in dehesas and coniferous forests in Andalusia, Spain

Abstract

We apply an ecosystem accounting system to estimate the total social income accrued from private and public products in a group of agroforestry farms in Andalusia (Spain). We provide bio-physical and economic indicators for two contrasting farm types, a sub-group of 15 publicly owned coniferous forests and a sub-group of 24 privately owned dehesa farms. Total social income attained, in 2010, an average value of €140 per hectare in public forests and €352 per hectare in private dehesas. In public forests, social and environmental targets prevail over the demand for revenues from agroforestry private uses. Public landowners are willing to transfer the potential incomes from agroforestry uses to other economic agents including the consumers of public products. In private dehesas landowners are willing to accept cash losses from traditional agroforestry uses such as livestock breeding and game in return for the enjoyment of private amenities attached to land and animal's tenancy. Both farm types provide diverse public non-market products that display higher aggregated values in the areas where public forests are located.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the seventh California oak symposium: managing oak woodlands in a dynamic world

Citation

Ovando, Paola; Campos, Pablo; Oviedo, Jose L.; Caparrós, Alejandro. 2015. Private and public incomes in dehesas and coniferous forests in Andalusia, Spain. In: Standiford, Richard B.; Purcell, Kathryn L., tech. cords. Proceedings of the seventh California oak symposium: managing oak woodlands in a dynamic world. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-251. Berkeley, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: 241-250.