Death By Deforestation In The Amazon

The first people to explore the wilderness in what is now Oregon and Washington documented beautiful forests of mesmerizingly large trees as far as the eye can see. The explorer’s initial reports brought in people who came to make a profit off the forest and the vast amounts of lumber it could provide. Lumber mills were built before the area was even added to the union. The environmental footprint started out small, but the lack of regulation, lack of enforcement of the existing regulations, and an increase in technology quickly created a large environmental battle over the whole region. As civilizations impact on the region increased, so did the

One of the major negative human impacts touching the tropical rainforests currently is deforestation. Deforestation is clearing large areas of forest land for non-forest uses. The main purpose land is cleared is for agricultural reasons. Farmers need this land to grow their crops on and to feed their cattle with. Due to the fact that the soil in tropical rainforests is fertile for only a few years, land has to be constantly cleared to make more space for farmland. Some other reasons deforestation occurs is because of large-scale companies logging for timber, and to build infrastructure that benefits humans (bridges, roads).

The majority of processes that cause deforestation are human-induced and can heighten the background rate of species extinction by 100 to 1000 times (Rangel, 2012). The primary cause of deforestation in the Amazon is cattle ranching, which makes up around 65-70% of all deforestation (Butler, 2014). Cattle ranching has been the leading cause of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon since the 1970s due to a rise in beef exports (BBC News, 2008). The second biggest loss of forest derives from small-scale, subsistence agriculture (20-25%), followed by large-scale, commercial agriculture (5-10%). Logging – legal and illegal – is responsible for 2-3% of forest loss and a further 1-2% is due to fires, mining, urbanization, road construction and dams (Butler,

The Brazilian Amazon is home to 40% of the world’s tropical rainforest. Incidentally, it also has the world’s fastest rate of deforestation. Tropical Rainforests around the world are lost at the rate of one acre per second with the average rate of Brazilian Amazon being such that 2 million hectares of forest land are cleared every year. There are multiple causes for this extensive rate of deforestation and this paper will address four such causes namely (1) rapid population growth, (2) industrial logging and mining, (3) changing spatial patterns of deforestation, and (4) wildfires. Moreover, there are several Brazilian state policies that encourage deforestation practices of which this paper will look at five key aspects – (1) taxes on agricultural income, (2) rules of land allocation, (3) land taxes, and (4) tax credit schemes and subsidized credits. However, despite rapid deforestation there have been long drawn efforts made by the domestic and global actors for forest conservation and curbing practices of deforestation. This has led to a tussle between pro-development and pro-environment policy networks trying to influence policies which directly affect the Amazon Rainforest and its inhabitants. The paper will also analyze 4 stages in the history of Brazil from 1960s to now in light of such policy networks.

“It is estimated that in 100 years, there will be no rainforests left. The rate of deforestation is equal to the loss of 20 football fields every minute.” (“Deforestation Facts” 1) As a result, there are fewer trees to absorb carbon emissions and groundwater, which affects climate and the water table. Deforestation is the loss of trees, usually due to manmade causes, such as urbanization, mining, logging, and agricultural activities. One of the most overall effected forests is the Amazon. The world’s most expansive forest, the Amazon, is the site of the greatest projected loss of natural life-sustaining habitat and beauty due to deforestation which makes efforts to conserve the forest and save its defenseless inhabitants a critical priority and essential duty of our time.

One and a half acres of forest is cut down per second for our own needs. If the current rate of deforestation continues then it won 't take long before we destroy all rain forests on earth. The reasons for deforestation in the Amazon include agriculture, Cattle ranching, logging, mining, oil companies, and dams. There are over 121 different natural remedies that can be found in the rain forest that could be used as medicines. Not only do we use the rain forests for products and land space but we also get oxygen out of it. 20% of the worlds oxygen is produced in Amazon forest. People should come to realize that the rain forest will not survive if we keep

Deforestation is having its most devastating effect on biodiversity in tropical rainforests. The destruction of millions of hectares of forests by human activities means:

The Amazon is also often referred to as “The Lungs of The Earth” due to its massive oxygen production. The Amazon’s vegetation produces 20% of all of

Brazil Amazon rainforest is mostly threatened by deforestation and infrastructure. “More than half of the earth’s rainforests have already been lost forever to the insatiable human demand for wood and arable land.” (National Geographic, N.D). Deforestation is different from country to another, where it depends on how much it is useful for them. Many areas of the Amazon land is being used illegally for industrial work. Logging are cutting down trees for wood use to make paper, furniture and other items. As well as burning the forest to make an extra space for planting crops, and building roads. Roads serve easy access in the heart of the Amazon. Species are dying and losing their habitats, which make them extinct. Building mines and oil wells

The deforestation is causing different types of problems around the world. One of the effects of deforestation is the change of animals’ life, animals are losing their habitat, and due to this more species are being extinct. In the article “Amazon Due for Numerous Species Extinctions”, Castro (2012) wrote that the Amazon have a lot of different species of animals, he said as well that the deforestation is a cause of the extinct of the animals and these animals are been extinct slowly, but eventually they will disappear, also he said that are many species at Amazon which are the last of their generation and that Brazil have to focus in this problem because is getting worse. The help have to be before the situation get worse, in amazon are too

The Amazon Rainforest is largest rainforest in the world that is developed in the tropical area of the Amazon River. Due to its enormous size, this moist broadleaf forest covers seven million square kilometers of forest that is present mostly in Brazil, and Peru, also running through minor land coverage in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It is magnificent to think that it present over the remaining rainforest on earth and support more than 2.7 millions of different plants animals and insects. With an existent of more than 55 million years, the forest had offered us human almost everything form shelter food water and even resource that are still crucial to our present day lives. But, unlike us human,

Miller (2017) reports that deforestation contributes to global warming by increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, which will cause the heat to rise to an unbearable rate especially in the Middle East and African countries. That will make those places uninhabitable and force people and animals to immigrate to places nearer to the poles. Having an immense number of people and animals in one place can result in food and water shortage and inner conflicts. Also, having people neglecting their countries and culture can lead to a loss of identity and individuality. Another effect will be that wood will be expansive because of its rareness, and that will trigger criminal to illegal cut the remaining trees for profits. Another result that will cause by habitat destruction is the decrease of oxygen amount. Since trees are enormous plants, their production of oxygen is significant. It is expected by Curley (2017) that 40 percent of the earth's oxygen is generated by tropical rainforests, though they cover only about 6 percent of the land. Rainforests in the Amazon have reduced by 17 percent in the last 50 years as a result of deforestation and that will work on decreasing the amount of oxygen and rising the mortality rate of all living beings. On the worst case scenario, the planet will be a non-habitable and people will have no choice but to flee to other hostable planets such as Mars or stay and witness the

Although there are positive impacts and effects of Deforestation so that we gain more land to cultivate crops and fed thousands of people, I claim that Deforestation can cause negative effect to the people and other living flora and fauna because due to deforestation nature is experiencing serious drought that directly causes negative impact on the people and the natural ecosystem, it causes global warming which is one of the serious environmental issues in the present context and causes soil erosions like landslide, floods etc that directly concern with the health and safety issue of wildlife as well as peoples.

Among other factors that contribute significantly to deforestation are property rights. Private ownership protected forests to some extent during the imperial reign. The ownership right was passed to the Peasant Association during the Derg regime for management as a community resource. These forests were not only poorly managed but they were sometimes exposed to accidental fire and even reportedly set on fire deliberately which then allowed free grazing rights and free cutting of fuel wood after burning. Such practices have a negative effect on proper management of natural forest resources and ultimately the land is easily degraded (Asefa 1994).

Forests are the earth’s lungs and around the world, forest ecosystems both trees and soil play a crucial role to eliminating significant amounts of greenhouse gasses and carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere that cause climate change. The United Nations Climate Summit held on 23rd September, 2014 highlighted the need to protect forests and the services they offer which are crucial to sustainable development and human well-being.