The impact of land-tenure reforms on resource protection is multidimensional. When estimating the determinants of farmers’ decisionmaking to invest in agroforestry, particularly in soil conservation technologies, the reform impact appears considerable. The issuing of LUCs has led to a significant increase in the adoption of agroforestry practices, including the development of ditches (Saint-Macary et al. 2008). In North Vietnam, increasing investment in rice terraces due to higher tenure security has led to stronger protection against erosion on steep slopes. Enhanced tenure security on agricultural lands thus supports solutions for environmental concerns (Neef et al. 2007). Compared with other direct approaches, such as the planting of hedges or contour strips, this effect seems to be far more reaching and durable.
Regarding farming systems other than intensive irrigated rice cultivation, case studies show that the impact of individual property rights may have negative effects on endangered ecosystems: allocating land rights to families leads to a conversion of rural wetlands into agricultural land. As utilization rights depend necessarily on using plots in question for agricultural purposes or allocating them to new settlers, the common pool management of the wetlands is in danger. Those areas with the highest agricultural potential become privatized while others shift to open access (Adger and Luttrell 2000). Additionally, concerns arise that market reforms have undermined collective action to ameliorate flooding hazards (Adger 1999, 2000). Consequently, land privatization together with reduced public expenditure might exacerbate the vulnerability to coastal flooding. These risks are aggravated by the diminishing role of former rural cooperatives to provide local public goods, such as protection against floods or other hazards.