TABLE OF CONTENTS 

ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................................3 

PREFACE ..........................................................................................................................................5 

LIST OF ORIGINAL PAPERS ...........................................................................................................6 

TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................8 

Chapter ONE

1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 10 

1.1. Land use, land-use and forestry (LULUCF) ....................................................................... 10 

1.2. Tropical deforestation ........................................................................................................ 12 

1.3. Deforestation and forest degradation in sub-Saharan Africa and the Sahel .......................... 13 

1.4. Deforestation and forest degradation in Burkina Faso ........................................................ 15 

1.5. Activities and factors influencing revegetation/regrowth in Burkina Faso .......................... 16 

1.6. Study aims and objectives ................................................................................................. 17 

Chapter TWO

2. Theoretical framework ............................................................................................................ 19 

2.1. General ................................................................................................................................... 19 

2.2. Review of approaches repelling deforestation ..................................................................... 23 

2.3. Forest transition theory ....................................................................................................... 26 

2.4. Overall study framework .................................................................................................... 28 

Chapter THREE

3. Materials and methods.............................................................................................................. 30 

3.1. Study sites .......................................................................................................................... 30 

3.2. Methods ............................................................................................................................. 32 

3.2.1. The effects of tenure insecurity and household assets on deforestation (study I) ............. 32 

3.2.2. Poverty and environmental degradation (study II) ......................................................... 33 

3.2.3. Smallholder tree planting activity (study III) ................................................................. 35 

3.2.4. Relative importance of trees for livelihoods and their potentials for environmental protection (study IV) ................................................................................................................. 35 

Chapter FOUR

4. Results ..................................................................................................................................... 38 

4.1. The role of tenure insecurity and asset holdings on deforestation (I) ...................................... 38 

4.2. Poverty and environmental degradation: is there a link? (II) ................................................. 40 

4.3. Smallholder tree planting activity (III) ................................................................................. 43 

4.4. Relative importance of trees for livelihood values and environmental protection (IV) ......... 46 

Chapter FIVE

5. Discussion ................................................................................................................................ 49 

5.1. Review of the study approach .............................................................................................. 49 

5.1.1. Limitations of the forest transition theory ...................................................................... 52

5.2. Drivers of deforestation and forest degradation ................................................................... 53 

5.3. Poverty and environmental degradation .............................................................................. 55 

5.4. Smallholder tree plantations and assisted natural regeneration activity ................................ 56 

5.5. Tree knowledge for livelihood values and environmental protection ................................... 57 

CHAPTER SIX

6. Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................................................................... 59 

References ........................................................................................................................................ 63