Sustainable management of rainforests

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Marianna Sutton
5 years ago
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1 Student task: carousel task Complete the table by gathering information about each type of sustainable management strategy. Sustainable management of rainforests Sustainable management strategy Positives Negatives Selective logging Agroforestry Forest reserves Afforestation Satellite monitoring Page 1 of 7

2 Student task: radar graph 1. Complete you radar graph by plotting how sustainable you think each strategy is (0 is least sustainable, 10 is most sustainable) 2. Around the edge of the diagram, justify the reasons you have given the strategy this particular score. Selective logging Satellite monitoring Agroforestry Afforestation Forest reserves Page 2 of 7

3 Carousel sheet 1: selective logging Trees are only cut when they reach a particular height. This allows younger trees a guaranteed life span and the forest will regain full maturity after around years. Therefore the canopy is protected, yet money can still be made from logging. Timber is a renewable resource and can regrow. This strategy ensures it is not cut down at a rate that will outstrip the natural growth cycle, and roots maintain a healthy top soil. Parent trees remain to drop seeds to the forest floor to start the growth cycle again. The best approaches minimise collateral damage to nearby trees as they fall, perhaps by making sure it doesn t fall onto younger trees Page 3 of 7

4 Carousel sheet 2: agroforestry Valuable crops such as coffee and cacao are frequently grown under the canopy of tropical forest. Although these crops are usually cultivated in full sunny fields, growing them underneath the shade of existing trees provides greater biodiversity value and often creates a higher value product. This method is highly sustainable as it does not require trees to be cut down in order to make way for farmland; which has often been the case previously. Agroforestry reduces the need for additional fertilizers for crops, as natural leaf fall and leaf litter helps to maintain the natural fertility of the soil. This also reduces the costs for the farmer and maximises profit. Agroforestry in the Amazon basin allows fruit trees such as avocado, cocoa, guava, guaba to grow year after year, without the need for replanting. The only large drawback to this scheme is when non-native species are introduced and cause problems Page 4 of 7

Carousel sheet 3: forest reserves Also known as National Parks these are essentially large areas of protected rainforests where no logging activity is allowed.

5 Carousel sheet 3: forest reserves Also known as National Parks these are essentially large areas of protected rainforests where no logging activity is allowed. It therefore preserves large parts of untouched rainforest for the future. In 2002 Brazil created the largest reserve in the world, the Tumucumaque National Park, covering nearly 4 million hectares in the state of Amapa. This region is of ecological importance with vast areas left unexplored, and is home to jaguars, sloths and fresh water turtles. Some critics worry that due to political corruption in Brazil and a lack of funding, the area will not remain pristine and that poachers and illegal logging will still take place. Staff working in these National Parks are on very low wages due to lack of funds, and may be open to bribery in exchange for access. To counteract these claims and increase funding, the park is looking for money from the World Wildlife fund and the World Bank, to ensure conservation efforts are successful Page 5 of 7

6 Carousel sheet 4: afforestation This is the opposite of deforestation. After trees are cut down, they are replanted to maintain the canopy. The Brazilian state of Para has a goal to replant 1 billion trees by 2013 to replace those lost by logging in previous decades. This initiative will reduce global greenhouse gases by 5%, and is being funded by both the government and private companies alike. Widespread commercial afforestation on new land (previously not wooded) can have adverse environmental impacts, however when it is used to re-cover preexisting rainforest areas, it is more successful. In tropical climates a tree will take around 30 years to reach maturity, so it will take a long time to re-establish a rainforest ecosystem using this method Page 6 of 7

Carousel sheet 5: satellite monitoring This involves the use of satellite technology and aerial photography to ensure that any logging activities taking place are legal and follow guidelines for

7 Carousel sheet 5: satellite monitoring This involves the use of satellite technology and aerial photography to ensure that any logging activities taking place are legal and follow guidelines for sustainability. GIS software is used to analyse changes in forest over time and identify areas where deforestation rates are accelerating, and take the appropriate action or send in teams on the ground to challenge any illegal logging activity. This method is useful as it allows a large area to be quickly assessed using live data. Imozan, a non-profit company, is working with the Brazilian government to protect the Amazon rainforest, using real time imagery and implementing a system of sanctions and rewards for tribes, farmers and commercial logging companies working in the rainforest. The scheme has been very successful in reducing the deforestation rate by 70% in 2013, in comparison to the previous year Page 7 of 7

Devastating Deforestation

Devastating Deforestation To learn why the rainforest is being destroyed Describe the rate of deforestation Compare the lives of those in the rainforest to that of our own Describe/Explain/Analyse the