Theorizing Land-Cover and Land-Use Change: The Case of Tropical Deforestation

Robert Walker
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Robert Walker: Department of Geography, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, rwalker@msu.edu

International Regional Science Review, 2004, vol. 27, issue 3, 247-270

Abstract: This article addresses land-cover and land-use dynamics from the perspective of regional science and economic geography. It first provides an account of the so-called spatially explicit model, which has emerged in recent years as a key empirical approach to the issue. The article uses this discussion as a springboard to evaluate the potential utility of von Thünen to the discourse on land-cover and land-use change. After identifying shortcomings of current theoretical approaches to land use in mainly urban models, the article filters a discussion of deforestation through the lens of bid-rent and assesses its effectiveness in helping us comprehend the destruction of tropical forest in the Amazon basin. The article considers the adjustments that would have to be made to existing theory to make it more useful to the empirical issues.

Keywords: deforestation; Amazon; von Thünen; land cover; land use (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2004
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:inrsre:v:27:y:2004:i:3:p:247-270

DOI: 10.1177/0160017604266026

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