Yuang Chen

I am a Ph.D. student with a geography background at the Centre. My research focuses on how to improve the forestry production and environmental benefits from restored forests on rural forestland in southern China, taking into account the socioeconomic and biophysical constraints. I have a broad interest in the human dimensions of conservation, and am particularly interested in the cognitive and behavioral decision-making of rural households.

My current research focuses on the production status of large-scale tree plantations restored from marginal croplands in southern China. Our research suggests that rising rural labor cost, low levels of forestry mechanization, and insufficient harvest road coverage pose threats to the production of these plantations. Moreover, household income and labor conditions impact their willingness of managing these plantations, especially given the small land parcel size of this region that was passed down from the past agricultural production system.