Factors influencing deforestation in Africa
4
- Fuelwood collection
- Logging
- Agricultural expansion
- Population pressure
Deforestation
Deforestation is defined as the conversion of forest to other land use or the permanent reduction of the tree canopy cover below the minimum 10 percent threshold (FAO, 2015)
Effects of selective logging
- forest degradation
- affect soils, wildlife and habitat
Socio-economic causes of deforestation
- poverty
- low agricultural productivity
- unequal distribution of land
- international markets for some forest products
- large resettlement
Causes of deforestation:
- access to forests (road networks)
- rapid population growth rates
- local government (tax incentives to loggers and ranchers), (or resettlement schemes)
- socio-economic factors
Côte D’Ivoire experienced the most rapid forest clearance rates in the world. T/F?
True
- 2800-3500 square km per year in 1950-2000
In Côte D’Ivoire, in _____ log and wood exports provided __% of ____________. It fell to __% by _____due to declining __________.
In Côte D’Ivoire in 1973, log and wood exports provided 35% of export earnings. It fell to 11% by 1980 due to declining resource base.
Côte D’Ivoire financial issues
- high external debt
- declining international prices for agricultural export commodities
Côte D’Ivoire introduced restrictions
- on the export of logs
- In 1997
Causes of deforestation in Côte D’ivoire
- population grew from 5 million in 1970 to 21 million in 2009
- uncontrolled settlement by farmers
- ## clearance for coffee + cacao plantations (government incentives)
Primary Forest
Primary forests are forests of native tree species, where there are no clearly visible indications of human activities and the ecological processes are not significantly disturbed.
Secondary forests
Secondary forests regenerate on native forests, which have been cleared by natural or man made causes, such as agriculture or ranching. They display a major difference in forest structure and/or species composition with respect to primary forests.
Philippines - primary causes of deforestation
- Logging
- Agricultural expansion
- Construction of roads
- subsistence farmers
- poverty
- population pressure
Forest cover in the Phillipines
70%-25% from 1900-1990
- lowland forest is gone
- currently 17-18%
Population of the Philippines
8.2 million (1910) to over 90million in 2010
Vietnam lost more than _____ of its original forest area from 1945-1982… and…
a third
- 25% in early 1990’s (Viet Nam War)
Vietnam’s forest transition occurred in the ____. It reached ____% by ____.
90s. It reached 38% by 2005
Vietnam restrictions
- Policies restricted logging
- banned the export of raw logs
- however illegal logs entered the country, suggesting that the deforestation was exported to neighbouring countries
Factors in Brazil’s deforestation
- Agricultural expansion (soybean plantations)
- Cattle Ranchers (beef)
- Resettlement
- Exploitation of minerals
- Exploitation of biotic and hydroelectric resources
- Slash and burn agriculture
- Logging
Slash and burn agriculture
a method of agriculture in which existing vegetation is cut down and burned off before new seeds are sown, typically used as a method for clearing forest land for farming.
Forest Environmental services
- regulation of local climates
- regulation of water flow
- regulation of nutrient cycles
- habitat supporting biodiversity
Forests are in a systems state of ___________.
DYNAMIC EQUIBILIBRIUM
Natural deforestation causes
- Death of old trees
- Lightning
- Wind
- Cyclone
- Volcanic eruptions
- Earthquakes
- Landslides
- Flooding
Why are forests defined as being in a shifting mosaic steady state?
Regrowth occurs in gaps so small areas are in perpetual flux while the landscape as a whole does not appear to change
