• Deforestation is the process of destroying a forest and Deforestation is the process of destroying a forest and replacing it with something else.replacing it with something else.

• Almost all of deforestation occurs in the moist forests Almost all of deforestation occurs in the moist forests and open woodlands of the tropics. At this rate all moist and open woodlands of the tropics. At this rate all moist tropical forest could be lost by the year 2050, except for tropical forest could be lost by the year 2050, except for isolated areas in Amazonian, the Zaire basin, as well as isolated areas in Amazonian, the Zaire basin, as well as a few protected areas within reserves and parks. Some a few protected areas within reserves and parks. Some countries such as Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Costa Rica, and countries such as Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Costa Rica, and Sri Lanka are likely to lose all their tropical forests by Sri Lanka are likely to lose all their tropical forests by

the year 2010 if no conservation steps are taken. the year 2010 if no conservation steps are taken.

EVIDENCEEVIDENCE"NASA supports and conducts research on tropical forests from "NASA supports and conducts research on tropical forests from

space-based and ground-based perspectives, helping provide space-based and ground-based perspectives, helping provide the information that national and international leaders need to the information that national and international leaders need to

develop strategies for sustaining human populations and develop strategies for sustaining human populations and preserving tropical forest biodiversity."preserving tropical forest biodiversity."

• Trees are being cut down• Forests are condensing

• More CO2 in the air

1. FOREST FIRES, 1. FOREST FIRES, FIREWOODFIREWOOD

2. GLOBAL WARMING 2. GLOBAL WARMING DESTROYING DESTROYING RAINFORESTSRAINFORESTS

3. HACKING UP 3. HACKING UP TREES FOR FARMING/ TREES FOR FARMING/

EXTRA LAND/ EXTRA LAND/ INDUSTRIAL SITESINDUSTRIAL SITES

4. TO GET FOOD 4. TO GET FOOD AND MONEY FOR AND MONEY FOR

LUMBERLUMBER

5. CLEARANCE FOR 5. CLEARANCE FOR MINING AND EXTRACTION MINING AND EXTRACTION OF OILOF OIL

6.CHANGES IN 6.CHANGES IN TEMERATURE, RANGES, TEMERATURE, RANGES, AND PERCIPITATIONAND PERCIPITATION

7. INVASIVE INSECT 7. INVASIVE INSECT SPEICESSPEICES

8. BURNING OF FOSSIL 8. BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS AND THE RELEASE FUELS AND THE RELEASE OF INDUSTRIAL OF INDUSTRIAL GREENHOUSE GASES INTO GREENHOUSE GASES INTO THE ATMOSPHERETHE ATMOSPHERE

9. SHIFTING 9. SHIFTING CULTIVATION AND CULTIVATION AND COMMERCIAL LOGGINGCOMMERCIAL LOGGING

1. DEFORESTATION1. DEFORESTATION

2. TAKES AWAY FOOD/ MONEY FOR 2. TAKES AWAY FOOD/ MONEY FOR USUS

3. TAKES AWAY SHELTER/ FOOD/ 3. TAKES AWAY SHELTER/ FOOD/ OTHER RESOURCES FOR ANIMALS OTHER RESOURCES FOR ANIMALS

4. CHANGES TO THE ECOSYSTEM 4. CHANGES TO THE ECOSYSTEM AND DECREASE BIODIVERSITY AND DECREASE BIODIVERSITY

THROUGH THE DESTRUCTION OF THROUGH THE DESTRUCTION OF HABITATHABITAT

5. IT CAN ERODE SOILS5. IT CAN ERODE SOILS

6. CONTRIBUTES TO 6. CONTRIBUTES TO DESERTIFICATION AND THE DESERTIFICATION AND THE POLLUTION OF WATERWAYSPOLLUTION OF WATERWAYS

CONS:CONS: 1. Stop cutting down trees. Halt 1. Stop cutting down trees. Halt

deterioration, lose firewood, anddeterioration, lose firewood, and lose a main resources.lose a main resources.

2. FSC (Forest Stewardship2. FSC (Forest StewardshipCouncil). Buy only from FSC andCouncil). Buy only from FSC andthey will keep a certain amount they will keep a certain amount of land. It is very of land. It is very Likely that theyLikely that they

will need to buy will need to buy more land to keepmore land to keep up with demandsup with demands and raise pricesand raise prices

because they willbecause they will need to waitneed to wait

for trees to be replantedfor trees to be replanted and grow. Also most deforestation and grow. Also most deforestation is due to gaining land, money, oris due to gaining land, money, orfarming.farming.3. Rainforests deemed protected. 3. Rainforests deemed protected. Rainforests may become overgrown. Rainforests may become overgrown. We lose some resources We lose some resources plus loggers and others are still plus loggers and others are still Illegally chopping of trees.Illegally chopping of trees.

MORE CONS:MORE CONS: 4. Clear cutting and converting forest land 4. Clear cutting and converting forest land

to urban area. The forest are destroyed to urban area. The forest are destroyed & replaced with heat absorbing pavement & replaced with heat absorbing pavement

and buildings.and buildings.5. Educate and inform people. It 5. Educate and inform people. It

doesn't always stop doesn't always stop them. If laws don't them. If laws don't stop them how will stop them how will

informing informing them? them?

PROS:PROS: 1. New conservation 1. New conservation

policy. Rehabilitate & restore degraded policy. Rehabilitate & restore degraded forest lands. Secures rainforests for forest lands. Secures rainforests for

long-time benefits they provide long-time benefits they provide for mankind.for mankind.

2. SAVE THE FORESTS! More 2. SAVE THE FORESTS! More efficient methods of replacing efficient methods of replacing

& growing forests. & growing forests. RECYCLE PAPER! RECYCLE PAPER!  Trees are planted Trees are planted faster than they are faster than they are being cut down in some being cut down in some countries.countries.

3. WWF. Advises3. WWF. Advisesindigenous people toindigenous people tomake informed make informed decisions about their decisions about their lifestyles and available lifestyles and available alternatives.alternatives.

We believe there is no best solution for We believe there is no best solution for this problem, but keeping people this problem, but keeping people

informed and attempting to informed and attempting to reconstruct and rebuild the forests reconstruct and rebuild the forests population is the most constructive population is the most constructive

way of fixing this problem. way of fixing this problem.

GO GREEN!!!!GO GREEN!!!!

• What are two main causes of DEFORESTATION?

• How is global warming related to DEFORESTATION?

• Why is slowing DEFORESTATION important to animals living in the rainforests?

SOURCES• Harris, Edward. "A Vicious Cycle of Deforestation." Los Angeles

Times [Los Angeles, CA] 3 Feb. 2009: A.6.• Moyers, Bill. "Forest Ecosystems Profile." Bill Moyers Reports: Earth

on Edge. PBS. <http://www.pbs.org/earthonedge/ecosystems/forests1.html>.

• "Deforestation." Oxfam's Cool Planet. Oxfam. <http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/explore/nature/rainforest/deforest2.htm>.

• "Deforestation." Greenpeace. Greenpeace. 26 Feb. 2009 <http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/climate-change/science/deforestation>.

• "Rain Forests Threats." Rain Forest Threats, Rain Forest Species. National Geographic. 26 Feb. 2009 <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/rainforest-threats.html>.