The impact of rural labor migration on forestry input allocation: evidence from Guizhou Province, China

Rural labor migration, characterized by large-scale movement from agriculture to nonagricultural sectors, presents new challenges to sustainable forest management. Using survey data from 812 rural households in Guizhou Province, China, this study examines the impact of rural labor migration on household forestry input allocation and explores the underlying mechanisms. The findings indicate that labor migration significantly reduces forestry input, primarily due to a decrease in labor inputs. Mechanism analysis reveals that labor migration increases household income, which, in turn, reduces farmers’ reliance on forestland. However, there is no direct evidence suggesting that labor migration facilitates land resource consolidation, such as forestland transfer, which could further constrain forestry inputs. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the negative impact of labor migration on forestry input is more pronounced among households with lower levels of education, limited political capital, and those operating on smaller scales. This study provides valuable insights for policy formulation aimed at enhancing household incentives for forest management, increasing forestry input, and promoting sustainable forestry development.