Forum explores ‘pro-poor rewards’ for ecosystem protection

Ecologist and MacArthur Fellow Lisa Curran will discuss the use of biofuels in Borneo, a large island in southeast Asia, in a free public lecture at 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 7, in 180 Science Hall.

Her topic is “From Timber to Palm Oil: Effects of Bornean Land Use Change on Carbon Emissions, Rural Livelihoods and Biodiversity.”

Oil palm plantations have replaced millions of acres of tropical rainforest in Borneo since the mid-1980s as palm oil production has skyrocketed to meet a growing international demand for bio-fuels. Curran, a professor and director of the Tropical Resources Institute at Yale University, has studied the impacts.

Her presentation, part of the Roy F. Weston Distinguished Global Sustainability Lecture Series, keynotes a two-day forum, “Designing ‘Pro-Poor’ Rewards for Ecosystem Services,” organized by UW–Madison’s Land Tenure Center (LTC).

Experts from around the world will gather April 7–8 for the forum in Madison to discuss innovative strategies for rewarding local ecosystem stewards, particularly in areas of persistent poverty and high biodiversity.

Daniel Bromley, Anderson-Bascom Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics, will give the opening keynote, “Incentive-Compatible Institutional Design: Who’s in Charge Here?” at 8:30 a.m. on April 7.

Except for Curran’s lecture, all forum events will be held at the Pyle Center. Most of the forum is open to the public, but seating at the Pyle Center is limited and pre-registration for events there is requested.