Regional, national and international implications of these alternatives, however, will have to be taken into account as well as examining their local level possibilities, obstacles, costs and benefits. An obvious alternative to deforestation for the lands traditionally exploited by rubber tappers, Brazil nut gatherers, river dwellers and indigenous populations would be the extractive reserves discussed in the last section. But these proposals should be analysed in more detail. Related issues for further research would be the technical and economic possibility of extractive reserves and associated agroforestry systems. A few of these issues are discussed in Appendix A. Similar questions arise with respect to the environmental destruction associated with expanding cattle ranching and land clearing for speculation.
Related questions arise concerning forest destruction for reservoirs and mining.
There is an urgent need for more research into such questions in Amazonia. The researchers should take into account, however, that public policy, like socially induced deforestation itself, is an output of social systems locally, nationally and internationally. These studies aim also at studying the changes in social reactions of affected populations as a consequence of deforestation, in particular, the riverine people, Indians, rubber tappers, small farmers and squatters. The two regions represent different types of land occupation and natural resources uses. Part of the soils of that state are more fertile when compared to other areas of Amazonia and attracted thousands of settlers from other Brazilian provinces.