But palm-oil plantations are wreaking environmental havoc by clearing large swaths of tropical forests. Conservation groups say this destruction of ancient rain forests could wipe out species like the orangutan, and have mounted campaigns to boycott palm-oil products. But many locals who depend on palm oil for their livelihood are unhappy about Western attacks on the industry.
What to do? Environmental groups should buy shares in plantations and use profits to buy forested land for nature reserves, says Princeton ecologist Lian Pin Koh. Environmental groups, however, say ownership would undermine their credibility. They’d rather get industry to invest in conservation.
