The Problem of Deforestation in Brazil

1. The Problem of Deforestation in Brazil By: Megan Schwarz, Derek Croad , and Andrew Sargent

2. General Causes of Deforestation Population growth and demand for new land Growing economies and consumption Short-sighted political decisions Corruption and illegal trade Poverty and landlessness Agricultural and industrial opportunity Road building Logging

3. Deforestation in Brazil

4. Causes of Deforestation in Brazil • Cattle Ranching - clearing for cattle pasture • Many cattle ranchers expand their grazing areas by cutting into Brazil forests. Such actions contribute to almost 50% of deforestation in Brazil. The fact that beef is becoming an increasingly important export in Brazil only intensifies the already strong threat to the country’s forests.

5. Subsistence Agriculture • Poor farmers are encouraged to settle on forest lands by government land policies that eventually result in ownership of the land the farmers acquire. Once ownership is attained, the individual has the right to make money by selling his or her land. Not all farmers sell their land though; many plant crops hoping to make a profit. When soil quality deteriorates, however, farmers press farther into forests in order to benefit from new soil. Farmers also use fire to clear land for their crops, which often results in forest fires that contribute even more to deforestation.

6. Logging Logging is an obvious cause of deforestation. Not only does logging call for the cutting down of trees, but it also requires the construction of roads in order to get to the trees. Such construction tears up the soil and increases erosion. When a tree falls after being cut down by loggers, surrounding trees may fall with it due to connecting vines.

7. Population Growth and Urbanization As populations grow, more resources must be available and ready to use. Brazil’s population is growing and with it, the rate of deforestation is bound to also increase.

8. Humans are not the only influence on deforestation Many natural causes of deforestation exist. Such examples include drought, storms, and natural fire. While such events are damaging to Brazil’s forests, the devastation is still not as bad as when humans are responsible. When natural causes of deforestation take place, the loss incurred is not so complete that nothing can be regenerated. Parts of the forest continue to exist and thrive so that, with time, all life in that particular area will eventually flourish.

9. Some Major Effects of Deforestation in Brazil • Climate change: • Reduction in rainfall • Lower humidity • Higher surface temperatures • More severe dry seasons • Decrease in biodiversity • Reduction in ecosystem stability • Lowers availability and use of certain resources • Loss in quality of life- beautiful environment, loss of recreational usage.

10. Amazon DroughtLarge amount of deforestation could cause an estimated 20% reduction in Amazonian rainfall. Results: • Reduction in water availability to people in Brazil • Vicious Cycle: Reduction in water availability to previously intact forests • Increase in Forest Fires

11. Fire in Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest

12. Threatened Species • Jaguars, harpy eagles, manatees and giant river otters are just a few of the threatened mammal species. • Amazon manatees are vulnerable due to over hunting, habitat destruction and droughts that reduce vegetation around the Amazon river basin

13. Threatened Species • Jaguars are found mostly in the Amazon, but their numbers are reducing significantly there due to the deforestation.

14. Threatened Species • According to the WWF website, there is estimated to be 40,000 plant species, 427 mammals, 1,294 birds, 378 reptiles, 427 amphibians, and at least 3,000 fishes that exist in the Amazon rainforest • Much of the Amazon rainforest is affected by the deforestation occurring in Brazil • It is worth stopping deforestation to preserve this large amount of biodiversity.

15. Visiting the Amazon • As deforestation takes over the Brazilian Amazon, opportunities such as these will begin to decrease.

16. WHAT IS BEING DONE If there is to be even a small chance to relax the pressures on tropical biota, fundamental changes in the world trade system and the basic relationships between rich and poor nations must take place.” ~Paul and Anne Ehrlich 1988 Source: www.cia.gov/saynotodrugs/ images/burnforest6.gif

17. True Beginning of Preservation “We must keep our many and legitimate social aspirations under control, so that they can be fulfilled at the right pace and at the right time…for the simple reason that no one can harvest fruits without first planting the tree.” ~Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Source: www.paraiba.pb.gov.br/ lula/biografia.shtml

19. Tropical Forest Action Plan (TFAP) • Began in 1985 • Billions of dollars available for any projects that are intended to save forests • Problems with Plan: • Put an economic value on the motive for saving forests • Directly helped the timber industry • Ignored true causes of deforestation • Ultimately blamed those who were victims to forest destruction

20. Sustained Yield Forestry • Created a limit to how much could be deforested in a certain time period Problems with Plan: • Plan had no major description of what it entailed • No present example of sustainable operations in the world • Under corruption, commercial pressure, etc. Source: www.pacificfringe.net/ sustainedyield/intro.htm