“These Farmers Slash and Burn Forests—But in a Good Way”

In this story, National Geographic uses a case study of a village in Thailand as a prism for issues of international environmentalism and the "question" of swidden agriculture's sustainability. We learn a bit about the history of the pejorative term "slash and burn;" a half century ago, the US Food and Agricultural Organization called swidden agriculture not just "a “backward type of agricultural practice” but even “a backward stage of culture in general," which set the tone for international development organizations. This article includes rich description of the ecosystem at hand, including not just an analysis of how burning creates more fertile soil for all sorts of growth, but a description of the thriving species of bees and even tigers that indicate the sustainability of swidden practices within this system. All in all, this article offers a scientific perspective on a highly politicized issue.