Abstract
The annual rate of deforestation in the State of Kerala, India, for the period 1961 to 1988 was examined in relation to population density, literacy rate, livestock density, land use pattern and per capita demand and production of wood, using district level data. In multiple regression analysis, the differential literacy alone emerged significant explaining as much as 50 per cent variance in the annual deforestation rate, in contrast to our general expectation that the increase in deforestation was found in districts having lower level of literacy. The reasons could be that the literacy rate is population centric and strongly related to developmental processes and thus leading to pressure on neighbouring forests. The results indicate that the conservation policies should be formulated at district level taking into consideration their social and economic scenario also.
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