Farmers’ ecological motivations: implications for forestation in South Nation River watershed and Ontario’s mixedwood plains ecozone

This paper investigates deforestation in southern Ontario’s mixedwood plains ecozone. Farmers own much of the land in the mixedwood plains, thus forestation is examined through the lens of farmers’ ecological motivations. Two research methods are employed: an integrative literature review, and key informant interviews of farmers in the South Nation River watershed. Firstly, farmers’ ecological motivations on forestation in the EU, USA, Canada and Australia are examined via an integrative literature review of peer reviewed research. Various themes and issues are explored, which differ by region, policy, economic regime, and biophysical conditions. Secondly, the South Nation River watershed in eastern Ontario is examined closely since it experiences accelerated deforestation in the early 21st century. Results of key informant interviews of farmers in the South Nation River watershed are presented and compared to literature review results, which are quite different. Are tree-cutting by-laws effective at preventing deforestation? Experiences from other southern Ontario municipalities are compared to key informants’ comments. Only one literature review article examined the role of regulations. A main driver of deforestation in southern Ontario is urbanization. The literature review contains few references to urbanization. Adjacent eastern North American regions are examined and compared to southern Ontario’s mixedwood plains. Motivational crowding out is a concern in several literature review articles. The effects of motivational crowding out on farmers’ intrinsic motivations are discussed when extrinsic conservation motivators are introduced. Motivational crowding out has consequences; programme design may minimize these.