CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION..

Logging- Belize and Guyana still make money from logging/ lumbering This is the primary cause of deforestation. Forests are cleared for lumber/timber for export to various parts of the world where the demand is high. Commercial lumbering is done on a large scale in Guyana. Only valuable species of trees such as greenheart, mahogany and teak are felled. Timber is used for construction

Logging

Agriculture- Land is cleared for cultivation of crops or rearing of cattle. Slash and burn- refers to the cutting down of trees and the subsequent burning of the area small scale agriculture- shifting cultivation or slash and burn farming eg Guyana . land cleared to provide land for small peasant farms commercial agriculture or large scale agriculture for crops such as rubber and oil palm, coffee,sugar

agriculture

Mining-Many areas in the forest area are cleared for mining (gold in Guyana and bauxite in Jamaica). Mining activities also require construction of roads, therefore forest is cleared to build roads and also for mining the natural resources. In Guyana, roads have been built to reach the mines and haul out the minerals. Quarrying: This is the clearing of land for the removal of aggregates (mainly sand and gravel) to be utilised in the construction industry (Northern Range, Trinidad)

mining Bauxite mining

Settlement/Urban development- This is increased construction of housing developments commercial buildings, roads. Increase demand for housing for the growing. population(exceeding 7 billion) Urban development- where cities expand into areas which were formerly forested hillsides- eg Trinidad , Northern Range Squatting- forested hillsides are cleared by people who do not own land to build houses This is illegal - Trinidad , northern range

Settlement and squatting

EXPRESS NEWSPAPER -Published on Sep 1, 2010,   Environmentalists and other interest groups have already expressed their outrage that some of our best agricultural lands have gone towards housing and industrial development

Fuel- poor countries in the region like Haiti Guadeloupe and Dominican Republic collect wood to heat their homes and cook  

Fuel.

Industry- Industrial development and industrial activity such as dam construction Belo monte dam under construction in brazil

CONSEQUENCES OF DEFORESTATION….

Soil erosion- Tree roots hold soil in place Soil erosion- Tree roots hold soil in place. Leaves intercept rainfall-reduce the impact of raindrops, on the soil. Without them the soil is washed in to rivers and streams eg Northern Range, Trinidad and Yallahs River Valley In Jamaica

Flooding- rivers are clogged when top soil is washed away by erosion Flooding- rivers are clogged when top soil is washed away by erosion. Also, trees intercept water which infiltrates into the soil slowly and is released gradually into rivers or streams. When trees are removed there is more surface run off causing flash flooding. Deforestation in the Northern Range Trinidad has increased risks of flooding in the narrow river valleys and the Caroni Plain Relate to the water cycle

EXPRESS NEWSPAPER -Published on Sep 1, 2010,   Additionally, deforestation on the slopes of the Northern Range have caused an increase in the rapid run off, eroding topsoil and flooding the land below as there are less tree roots to hold the excess water after heavy rains.  The run-off subsequently collects in the Caroni and Caparo basins where the soils are of low permeability, hindering infiltration and thus leading to flooding. 

Decline in underground -trees cause infiltration of water through the surface which reaches soil moisture zone. Further downward movement of water by percolation is stored as ground water, especially when forests grow on permeable rocks such as sandstone and limestone. When trees are removed, there is more surface run off and infiltration is reduced. Relate to water cycle

Reduced biodiversity- forests provide a habitat for many animals Reduced biodiversity- forests provide a habitat for many animals. Some Caribbean species have become extinct such as parrots in Martinique, Guadeloupe, Grenada When coastal forests are removed, fewer male Hawksbill turtles are born. The three-toed sloth in Guyuna may be threatened Is this only local? Can this be global in the long term?

Global warming-Forests act as carbon sinks Global warming-Forests act as carbon sinks. Removal of trees releases more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This is worse when the felled trees are set on fires. Increase in this green house gas means increased global temperature and sea level rise.

Northern range Trinidad…. Southern slopes are heavily deforested

Let’s save the planet one tree at a time Let’s save the planet one tree at a time. Today’s notes will be sent online…..no paper will be used.