ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with a discussion of some of the many factors that are contributing to the destruction of tropical forests and to species extinctions. Extraction of timber for commercial purposes has contributed mightily to the rapid depletion of tropical forests on a global scale. To say that tropical forests are central to the economies of many Third World Nations would be a commonplace. The chapter focuses on highly complex natural resource issue—tropical deforestation and the threat to biodiversity. It provides examples of the use of social science techniques such as surveys and informant interviews in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Surveys and structured interviews are being used in support of localized efforts in Latin America to preserve species and natural habitat. In Kenya, the effects of tourism and transportation-related behavior on wildlife conservation have been examined through the use of surveys and observational techniques.
