Geography Issue: Deforestation - Term Paper Example

Geography Issue: Deforestation Name University Course Tutor Date Geography Issue: Deforestation Outline of the Issue Deforestation refers to the permanent destruction of forests for the purpose of availing land, under forest cover, for other uses. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, approximately 7.3 million hectares of lost are lost annually through deforestation; this translates to almost the size of the country Panama (FAO, 2010). Indeed, there are prospects that, at the current rate of deforestation, the global rain forests could completely vanish within a century. There are number of reasons behind deforestation with most of them being related to financial issues or the need for people to provide for their families. Studies indicate that agriculture is the main driver of deforestation. This is because farmers have the tendency of cutting forests to create more room for grazing livestock and planting crops. On an annual basis, small farmers clear a few acres of forest with an objective of feeding their families; the cut and burn trees, a process referred to as ‘slash and burn’ agriculture. Millions of trees are also lost each year through logging operations which provide the global wood and paper products. Notably, all deforestation is not intentional. An immense deal of deforestation arises from a combination of human activities and such natural factors as overgrazing and wildfires, which have the capability of preventing the growth of young trees. Deforestation is associated with adverse effects on the environment. Ideally, studies reveal that the most dramatic impact of deforestation on the environment is the loss of habitat for millions of species. It is worth noting that 70% of plants and animals living on earth are found in forests (World Bank, 2004). This has the implication that survival becomes difficult for most of these species one deforestation has taken place. Deforestation is a key driver of climate change. Under forest cover, soils remain moist but they quickly dry up once they lose the protection provided by sun-blocking tree cover. Trees also have the crucial role of perpetuating the water cycle as they return water vapor back to the earth’s atmosphere (FAO, 2006). The persistent removal of trees has also been depriving the forests of their canopies, which have the role of blocking the sun’s rays in the course of the day and holding heat at night. As a result of this disruption, there has been extreme temperature swings hence significant harm to animals and plants. Another key role of trees is the absorption of greenhouse gases that are responsible for global warming. The reduction of earth’s surface under forest cover translates to increase amounts of greenhouse gases that enter the atmosphere; this in turn translates to enhanced speed and severity of global warming (FAO, 2006). The environmental problem of deforestation could easily be solved through bringing to an end the human practice of cutting down trees. Despite the recent, slight decline in the rates of deforestation, the practice is unlikely to come to an end as a result of financial realities. The careful management of the forest resource offers a more workable solution to the problem of deforestation; this could be achieved via the elimination of clear-cutting in order to ensure that forest environments remain intact (FAO, 2010). There ought to be a balance between tree cutting and planting to make sure that the older forests are replaced. Importance of the Issue The issue of deforestation is an important environmental concern considering the significant relationship between forest destruction and population changes. Population growth has been responsible for increased logging development, agricultural expansion, alongside an array of other human activities. In the last two decades, these human activities have been responsible for the destruction of more than 120,000 square kilometers of forests on an annual basis (United Nations Population Division, 2009). Studies have revealed a strong relationship between population increase and deforestation especially in West Africa, South Asia, and Central America. Agriculturally based population density in and around forested areas exhibits the strongest relationship between deforestation and population growth. Local people, alongside young immigrant families, invade forested areas and clear land with an objective of obtaining larger areas for subsistence farming. There is thus a high likelihood of clearing forests as a result of more land per capita, poor quality of soil, and decreased agricultural productivity per hectare. In Central America, for instance, there is significant relationship between loss of forest cover and population density. This draws substantial illustration from national and regional level, areas around forests, and inside forests with an example of Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala (Pan, Carr, Barbierri, Bilsborrow & Suchindran, 2007). Rationale for the Position of Population Density being Significantly Responsible for Deforestation Population density, growth, urbanization, distribution, and migration are essential drivers of deforestation. Population growth has the implication of increased demand for food, thus increased need to have forests converted to agricultural land (Geist & Lambin, 2002). Ideally, shortage of land in traditional farming areas has been resulting from an array of factors. These are inclusive of accumulation of previous growth in population and population density. The highest level of land conversion from its natural state to uses for human activities takes place in the developing world which is characteristic of the highest rate of population growth (Rosero-Bixby & Palloni, 1996). In the year 2002, 47% of the Brazilian Amazon came under human pressure with the consequence of forest degradation and loss thus a rapid change to the landscape of the region (Carr & Barbieri, 2006). It is worth noting that the remote areas with sparse population have the most fertile soils in developing countries. These are forest frontier areas with fragile ecosystems hence experience rapid growth of population leading to conversion of land to agricultural use. The globe has recorded a general growth of agricultural productivity but a rate that cannot match the rate of population growth. This has the implication that population growth has had negative impact on food security especially in the developing world (Ramankutty, Foley & Olejniczak, 2002). In the populous countries of South Asia, the increase in demand for household wood fuel has been a primary cause of deforestation. Ideally, demand for forest products continues to stress natural forests on a global scale. This demand for forest products has a direct relationship with population growth and income. It is worth noting that the demand for forest products has already outpaced the local supply in most parts of Sub-Saharan Africa (FAO, 2008). There is thus significant challenge in accessing wood for such domestic needs as heating and cooking. The stress on forests is also enhanced by increased industrial activities involving the use of wood. The globe exhibits enhanced logging activities as a result of increased demand for paper products and other industrial uses of wood. Migration and urbanization have also been key drivers of deforestation in many regions of the world. Migrant families have been clearing trees to look for settlement land with forest frontier areas being the most affected. Population density pushes these families from their original settlements thus forcing them to look for settlement along the edges of large, natural forests (Millenium Ecosytem Assessment, 2005). There is direct relationship between size of the household and demand for agricultural land, thus increased level of deforestation. Population growth has led to a high rate of urbanization especially in the developing world. It has been established that, population density in the developed world has come alongside settlement and employment challenges. As a result, young migrants tend to move to urban centers in search for settlement and employment. However, it is worth noting that, in some of these developing countries, the rate of migration has already outpaced the capacity of the existing urban centers. As a result, in significant parts of the developing world, urbanization is now spreading to forest frontier areas thus exerting more pressure on the natural forests. The establishment of new urban centers, to cater for the increasing number of immigrants, comes about with the need for more forest products for construction and generation of income (Sherbinin et al, 2007). Notably, the increased urbanization in the developing world calls for the need of more industrialization with the wood industry being one of the affected sectors. Ideally, in this situation, industrial activities have to be enhanced in order to provide employment opportunities for the immigrants entering the new urban centers. The end result of these activities is increased deforestation, at a rate that is much higher than the rate of reforestation. Efforts towards better management of the forest resource face significant barrier from current demographics of the global population. It is worth noting that sex composition and household age significantly influence land use, via the availability of labor for activities that have the capability of causing deforestation. With the current rate of population increase, most of the countries have their populations being dominated by individuals of less than 30 years of age thus an increased momentum in land clearing. These individuals are in their productive stage thus the likelihood of participating in activities that increase the rate of forest clearing. These are also the individuals who are mostly affected by the problem of unemployment thus a high likelihood of migrating to urban centers; with increased deforestation being the eventual consequence Leahy. The population in the developing world also has sex imbalance with the number of females exceeding the number of males. In most of these setting, the females remain at their homes where they actively involve themselves in activities that are aimed at meeting domestic needs of wood. There is thus increased pressure on forests for the production of wood energy and clearance of more land for food production Leahy. This explains why there prospects that, if the current trend continues, the rain forests of the world could be no more in the next one century. Evidence Supporting the Position Evidence indicates that rapid growth of population, alongside an array of other factors, are key drivers of deforestation. Small frontier families, who live on forest edge, are the major drivers of the global deforestation via cutting down trees to clear land for food production and settlement (FAO, 2010). Ideally, the top 5 countries experiencing the highest rates of deforestation have high population densities and growth rates. Country Annual Change of Forest Area, 2000-2010 Population (millions) 1,000 ha/yr. % 2010 2050 projected Brazil -2642 -0.49 194.9 222.8 Australia -562 -0.37 22.3 31.4 Indonesia -498 -0.51 239.9 293.5 Nigeria -410 -3.67 158.4 389.6 United Republic of Tanzania -403 -1.13 44.8 138.3 Table 1: Trends of Population growth and deforestation in 5 most affected countries (FAO, 2010) References Carr, D, L Sutter and A Barbieri. 2006. “Population Dynamics and Tropical Deforestation: State of the Debate and Conceptual Challenges.” Population and Environment, 27, 87-113. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010. Rome: FAO. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2006. Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005: Progress Towards Sustainable Forest Management. Rome: FAO. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2008. Forests and Energy: Key Issues. Rome: FAO. Geist, H J and E F Lambin. 2002. “Proximate Causes and Underlying Driving Forces of Tropical Deforestation.” Bioscience 52(2): 143-150. Leahy, E, R Englelman, C Vogel, S Haddock and T Preston. 2007. The Shape of Things to Come. Washington, DC: PAI. Millenium Ecosytem Assessment. 2005. Ecosystems and Human Well-Being Biodiversity Synthesis. Washington DC: World Resources Institute (WRI). Pan, W, D Carr, A Barbierri, R Bilsborrow and C Suchindran. 2007. “Forest Clearing in the Ecuadorian Amazon: A Study of Patterns Over Space and Time.” Population Research and Policy Review 26:635-659. Ramankutty, N, JA Foley and NJ Olejniczak. 2002. “People on the Land: Changes in Global Population and Croplands during the 20th Century.” Ambio 31(3): 251-257. Rosero-Bixby, L and A Palloni. 1996. "Population and Deforestation in Costa Rica." CDE Working Paper No. 96-19. Madison: 1996. Sherbinin, A, D Carr, S Cassels and L Jiang. 2007. “Population and Environment.” The Annual Review of Environment and Resources 32: 345-373. United Nations Population Division. 2009. World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision. New York: UN Population Division. World Bank. 2004. Sustaining Forests: A Development Strategy. Washington DC: World Bank. Read More