Additionality and Forest Conservation Regulation for Residential Development
研究一项森林保护法规对住宅开发的影响，发现法规使小区森林覆盖率增加21%，但对高森林覆盖地块效果有限，导致森林破碎化。
Abstract We analyze the potential effects that a unique forest conservation regulation has on residential development, and assess the additionality in forest cover due to this regulation. We combine panel data on forest cover change from satellite imagery and parcel‐level modeling on residential development, including residential subdivisions occurring before and after the regulation is adopted. Our results suggest that after adoption, there was a 21% increase in forest cover within subdivisions relative to the amount without the regulation. The heterogeneous effects of this regulation suggest that on average, forest cover increased for parcels with lower levels of existing forest cover. However, parcels with the highest levels of forest cover continue to have significant decreases in forest cover, despite the regulation, thereby resulting in fragmentation in regions with the most intact forest cover.