Onderwerp scriptie

Forest and Nature Economics

Economics of forest and nature conservation and management is one approach to describe, explain, understand, and maybe even forecast how people act in relation to forests and nature.

According to the latest counts, the number of people on Earth is estimated at 6.767.143.500 and climbing. In the minutes it takes you to read this text, the world's population will have increased by some 700 people. We have however only one planet, and the human demand on forest and nature on this planet is enormous, causing deforestation, declining biodiversity, climate change, etc.

Economics of forest and nature conservation and management is one approach to describe, explain, understand, and maybe even forecast how these 6.767.143.500 people act in relation to forests and nature. The basic assumptions of economics are that (1) there is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it (scarcity) and (2) individuals try to improve their well-being by making appropriate decisions under given conditions of scarcity.

This perspective has not scared you away? Good! Then economics may offer you fruitful and promising insights to improve your understanding of the relation of man and nature. Curious and self-motivated students, preferably with a ‘raw question / problem / interesting thing’ in mind, are welcomed to start a discussion on their perspective of doing an MSc thesis in Economics in Forest and Nature Conservation and Management.