Deforestation
Deforestation is
the removal of a
forest or stand of
trees where the
land is thereafter
converted to a
nonforest use.[1]
Examples of
deforestation
include conversion
of forestland to
agriculture or
urban use.
The term
deforestation is
often misused to
describe any
activity where all
trees in an area
are removed.
However in
temperate mesic
climates, the
removal of all
trees in an area —
in conformance
with sustainable
forestry practices
— is correctly
described as
regeneration
harvest.[2] In
temperate mesic
climates, natural
regeneration of
forest stands
often will not occur
in the absence of
disturbance,
whether natural or
anthropogenic.[3]
Furthermore,
biodiversity after
regeneration
harvest often
mimics that found
after natural
disturbance,
including
biodiversity loss
after naturally
occurring
rainforest
destruction.[4][5]
Deforestation
occurs for many
reasons: trees or
derived charcoal
are used as, or
sold, for fuel or as
lumber, while
cleared land is
used as pasture
for livestock,
plantations of
commodities, and
settlements. The
removal of trees
without sufficient
reforestation has
resulted in
damage to
habitat,
biodiversity loss
and aridity. It has
adverse impacts
on
biosequestration
of atmospheric
carbon dioxide.
Deforested
regions typically
incur significant
adverse soil
erosion and
frequently
degrade into
wasteland.
Disregard or
ignorance of
intrinsic value, lack
of ascribed value,
lax forest
management and
deficient
environmental
laws are some of
the factors that
allow
deforestation to
occur on a large
scale. In many
countries,
deforestation,
both naturally
occurring and
human induced, is
an ongoing issue.
Deforestation
causes extinction,
changes to climatic
conditions,
desertification,
and displacement
of populations as
observed by
current conditions
and in the past
through the fossil
record.[4]
Among countries
with a per capita
GDP of at least US
$4,600, net
deforestation
rates have ceased
to increase.[6][7]
Causes
There are many
causes of
contemporary
deforestation,
including
corruption of
government
institutions,[8][9]
the inequitable
distribution of
wealth and power,
[10] population
growth[11] and
overpopulation,
[12][13] and
urbanization.[14]
Globalization is
often viewed as
another root
cause of
deforestation,[15]
[16] though there
are cases in which
the impacts of
globalization (new
flows of labor,
capital,
commodities, and
ideas) have
promoted localized
forest recovery.
[17]
In 2000 the United
Nations Food and
Agriculture
Organization
(FAO) found that
"the role of
population
dynamics in a local
setting may vary
from decisive to
negligible," and
that deforestation
can result from "a
combination of
population
pressure and
stagnating
economic, social
and technological
conditions."[11]
According to the
United Nations
Framework
Convention on
Climate Change
(UNFCCC)
secretariat, the
overwhelming
direct cause of
deforestation is
agriculture.
Subsistence
farming is
responsible for
48% of
deforestation;
commercial
agriculture is
responsible for
32% of
deforestation;
logging is
responsible for
14% of
deforestation and
fuel wood
removals make up
5% of
deforestation.[18]
The degradation
of forest
ecosystems has
also been traced
to economic
incentives that
make forest
conversion appear
more profitable
than forest
conservation.[19]
Many important
forest functions
have no markets,
and hence, no
economic value
that is readily
apparent to the
forests' owners or
the communities
that rely on
forests for their
well-being.[19]
From the
perspective of the
developing world,
the benefits of
forest as carbon
sinks or
biodiversity
reserves go
primarily to richer
developed nations
and there is
insufficient
compensation for
these services.
Developing
countries feel that
some countries in
the developed
world, such as the
United States of
America, cut down
their forests
centuries ago and
benefited greatly
from this
deforestation, and
that it is
hypocritical to
deny developing
countries the
same
opportunities: that
the poor shouldn't
have to bear the
cost of
preservation when
the rich created
the problem.[20]
Experts do not
agree on whether
industrial logging
is an important
contributor to
global
deforestation.[21]
[22] Some argue
that poor people
are more likely to
clear forest
because they
have no
alternatives,
others that the
poor lack the
ability to pay for
the materials and
labour needed to
clear forest.[21]
One study found
that population
increases due to
high fertility rates
were a primary
driver of tropical
deforestation in
only 8% of cases.
[23]
Some
commentators
have noted a shift
in the drivers of
deforestation
over the past 30
years.[24]
Whereas
deforestation was
primarily driven by
subsistence
activities and
government-
sponsored
development
projects like
transmigration in
countries like
Indonesia and
colonization in
Latin America,
India, Java etc.
during late 19th
century and the
earlier half of the
20th century. By
the 1990s the
majority of
deforestation was
caused by
industrial factors,
including
extractive
industries, large-
scale cattle
ranching, and
extensive
agriculture.
the removal of a
forest or stand of
trees where the
land is thereafter
converted to a
nonforest use.[1]
Examples of
deforestation
include conversion
of forestland to
agriculture or
urban use.
The term
deforestation is
often misused to
describe any
activity where all
trees in an area
are removed.
However in
temperate mesic
climates, the
removal of all
trees in an area —
in conformance
with sustainable
forestry practices
— is correctly
described as
regeneration
harvest.[2] In
temperate mesic
climates, natural
regeneration of
forest stands
often will not occur
in the absence of
disturbance,
whether natural or
anthropogenic.[3]
Furthermore,
biodiversity after
regeneration
harvest often
mimics that found
after natural
disturbance,
including
biodiversity loss
after naturally
occurring
rainforest
destruction.[4][5]
Deforestation
occurs for many
reasons: trees or
derived charcoal
are used as, or
sold, for fuel or as
lumber, while
cleared land is
used as pasture
for livestock,
plantations of
commodities, and
settlements. The
removal of trees
without sufficient
reforestation has
resulted in
damage to
habitat,
biodiversity loss
and aridity. It has
adverse impacts
on
biosequestration
of atmospheric
carbon dioxide.
Deforested
regions typically
incur significant
adverse soil
erosion and
frequently
degrade into
wasteland.
Disregard or
ignorance of
intrinsic value, lack
of ascribed value,
lax forest
management and
deficient
environmental
laws are some of
the factors that
allow
deforestation to
occur on a large
scale. In many
countries,
deforestation,
both naturally
occurring and
human induced, is
an ongoing issue.
Deforestation
causes extinction,
changes to climatic
conditions,
desertification,
and displacement
of populations as
observed by
current conditions
and in the past
through the fossil
record.[4]
Among countries
with a per capita
GDP of at least US
$4,600, net
deforestation
rates have ceased
to increase.[6][7]
Causes
There are many
causes of
contemporary
deforestation,
including
corruption of
government
institutions,[8][9]
the inequitable
distribution of
wealth and power,
[10] population
growth[11] and
overpopulation,
[12][13] and
urbanization.[14]
Globalization is
often viewed as
another root
cause of
deforestation,[15]
[16] though there
are cases in which
the impacts of
globalization (new
flows of labor,
capital,
commodities, and
ideas) have
promoted localized
forest recovery.
[17]
In 2000 the United
Nations Food and
Agriculture
Organization
(FAO) found that
"the role of
population
dynamics in a local
setting may vary
from decisive to
negligible," and
that deforestation
can result from "a
combination of
population
pressure and
stagnating
economic, social
and technological
conditions."[11]
According to the
United Nations
Framework
Convention on
Climate Change
(UNFCCC)
secretariat, the
overwhelming
direct cause of
deforestation is
agriculture.
Subsistence
farming is
responsible for
48% of
deforestation;
commercial
agriculture is
responsible for
32% of
deforestation;
logging is
responsible for
14% of
deforestation and
fuel wood
removals make up
5% of
deforestation.[18]
The degradation
of forest
ecosystems has
also been traced
to economic
incentives that
make forest
conversion appear
more profitable
than forest
conservation.[19]
Many important
forest functions
have no markets,
and hence, no
economic value
that is readily
apparent to the
forests' owners or
the communities
that rely on
forests for their
well-being.[19]
From the
perspective of the
developing world,
the benefits of
forest as carbon
sinks or
biodiversity
reserves go
primarily to richer
developed nations
and there is
insufficient
compensation for
these services.
Developing
countries feel that
some countries in
the developed
world, such as the
United States of
America, cut down
their forests
centuries ago and
benefited greatly
from this
deforestation, and
that it is
hypocritical to
deny developing
countries the
same
opportunities: that
the poor shouldn't
have to bear the
cost of
preservation when
the rich created
the problem.[20]
Experts do not
agree on whether
industrial logging
is an important
contributor to
global
deforestation.[21]
[22] Some argue
that poor people
are more likely to
clear forest
because they
have no
alternatives,
others that the
poor lack the
ability to pay for
the materials and
labour needed to
clear forest.[21]
One study found
that population
increases due to
high fertility rates
were a primary
driver of tropical
deforestation in
only 8% of cases.
[23]
Some
commentators
have noted a shift
in the drivers of
deforestation
over the past 30
years.[24]
Whereas
deforestation was
primarily driven by
subsistence
activities and
government-
sponsored
development
projects like
transmigration in
countries like
Indonesia and
colonization in
Latin America,
India, Java etc.
during late 19th
century and the
earlier half of the
20th century. By
the 1990s the
majority of
deforestation was
caused by
industrial factors,
including
extractive
industries, large-
scale cattle
ranching, and
extensive
agriculture.
Comments
Post a Comment