Care that saves

Don Boudreaux quotes the book Africa by John Reader to illustrate how property rights help people to take care of natural resources. Trees have almost disappeared in the region of Lake Victoria due to firewood collection, but are abundant in the island of Ukara:

The fact that every tree is privately owned ensures that the use of this indispensable resource is sustainable. Every tree is protected by vested interest.

Read the whole quote at Cafe Hayek. See more political lessons from Ukara here.