The chief method of cultivation on Hainan has so far been "slash and burn": trees are chopped down or burned off to provide new areas for planting.
至今海南島的耕作方式仍以「刀耕火耨」為主，也就是把樹砍掉或燒掉再栽種作物。已逝的大陸地理學家竺可楨在其論文集中提到，海南島為開闢耕地、更新牧草與獵取野獸，七百公尺以下地區燒山、伐林情況嚴重。