Moving from large-N statistical analysis to small-n case studies and comparisons grants me the opportunity to discover other questions regarding environmental degradation and deforestation. My goal remains to explain the variation of deforested land. I can do this by examining laws, multilateral agreements (such as Reducing Emissions for Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+)), and other international policies. To mold my research question into the small-n analysis, I would like to examine countries that have had recent forest loss and gain. Though globally, according to the Global Forest Watch[1], there has been an overall loss of forests, there are some instances of forest gain. Whether or not this is through natural processes or reforestation projects is yet unclear and calls for further research. The Global Forest watch allows for a visual comparison of tree forest gain and tree forest lost[2]. By using this source, I can better understand if my cases have had forest gain or loss with a simple “yes” or “no” answer. For the two cases I have already selected, Madagascar and Malaysia, I was able to find that the countries have similar temperature, and both have had forestry loss. Where there is a valuable difference, is when I found that Malaysia has also gained some area in forest whereas Madagascar has not[3]. In this case, the case selection and dependent variable hand in hand because it is important to examine both forestry gain and loss. I feel confident that this dependent variable may be able to have connections with my proposed independent variables.

 

“Global Forestry Watch,” World Resources Institute, last modified 2017, Accessed November 8, 2017, http://www.globalforestwatch.org/

[1] World Resources Institute. “Global Forest Watch.” last modified 2017. Accessed November 8, 2017. http://www.globalforestwatch.org/

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.