Forests of the World:

World Forest Tour

World forest tour 4 cards’ categories about world’s forests. Pages 23-30 To stimulate student participation, use as icebreakers, ideas for research or investigation. Print, laminate, and cut the cards. To create adisplay or grab bag of topics and countries for studentto choose. You can print them as one card per page ormultiples cards in one page (if you prefer it in smallsize). Have students select, compare and discuss cards inusing a variety of different groupings. What do cardshave in common? How are they related?If you have access to a world map, you can fix themon it and discuss the situations in global contexts.

World Forest Tour (p.23):

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WOMEN’S VOICES

Papua New Guinea

In many communities, women provide for theirfamilies by gathering food, water, wood, and othermaterials from the forest. Despite their interest in thehealth of the forests, women are often left out offorest management decisions. Programs in manycountries are exploring ways to give women a greatervoice in forestry issues.

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GOING TO MARKET

Mali

Visit western Africa and you’ll see local markets filledwith women selling fruits, nuts, plants, and spicesgathered from the forest. Many families depend onthe money earned from selling these and other non-timber products. Economic development projects arehelping women improve access to market informationand other resources to increase family income.

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MORE LOCAL CONTROL

Bolivia

Many countries have tried to improve forestmanagement by giving local people more control overthe forests they depend on. The results have beenmixed. In Bolivia, some communities began patrols toprevent illegal farming, logging, and ranching. Butother communities sold their timber to loggingcompanies for short-term profit, with little concernfor the future.

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COMMUNITY FORESTRY

Tanzania

In Tanzania, some communities have succeeded inforest conservation where the government has failed.With their new authority over local forests, severalvillages have replanted degraded lands, rehabilitatedsprings, repaired forest roads, closed off cattle tracks,and increased income generated from the forests.

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LIVING WITH BUTTERFLIES

Mexico

Thirty eight communities live alongside millionsof migrating monarch butterflies at the MonarchButterfly Reserve in central Mexico. Logging,farming, and tourism are damaging this habitat.Nongovernmental organizations and local peopleare learning to build houses and cook with lesswood, to improve farming methods, and toreduce the effect of tourists.

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PROTECTING A WAY OF LIFE

Russia

Hundreds of native groups live by herdinganimals, hunting, and gathering. In the forest andtundra of Siberia, their traditional ways of life arethreatened by logging, mining, and pollution.Native peoples are joining forces to protect theircultures and rights to natural resources.

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INVESTING IN FOREST

New Zealand

About 14 percent of New Zealand’s plantedforests are owned by the country’s native people,Maoris. They hope that plantations andcommercial forestry will play an important role intheir economic future, by providing jobs andother benefits.

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United States

Ferns and other greens from Pacific Northwestforests are shipped all over the world. As timberharvests decline, these floral greens are anincreasingly important source of income for ruralcommunities. Advocates for sustainable forestrysay that this growing industry, if properlyregulated, can have both environmental andeconomic payoffs.

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Mexico

Ancient Mayans chewed chicle, the sap of thesapodilla tree (Manilkara zapota). In the 19thcentury, a New Yorker added sugar and flavoringto this natural latex and created an instantcommercial success. Although most chewinggum is now made with synthetic bases, chicle isstill harvested on a small scale.

ART

New Zealand

According to oral tradition, the sacred art ofwood carving was given to the Maori peopleby the sea god, Tangaroa. Artists today stillcarve indigenous wood with decorative,spiritual designs.

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UTILITY POLES

United States

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is one of thewoods commonly used for the poles that carryelectricity and telephone lines to homes andbusinesses throughout North America. Thereare 88 million utility poles along Americanhighways.

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RAILWAY TIES

United States

The world’s great railroads were literally built onwood. Durable wooden crossties, or “sleepers,”under the rails easily bear hundreds ofthousands of pounds. Wood is still the materialof choice by more than 90 percent of themarket.

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PURE WATER

United States

New York City’s famously good drinking wateris filtered naturally through the forested CatskillMountains watershed. In 1997, the city opted tospend US$1 billion to restore the watershed,rather than the US$6-8 billion it would have costto build an artificial filtration plant.

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CLEAN AIR

United States

Trees filter the air we breathe, thus absorbingcarbon dioxide and pollutants and releasingoxygen. In Washington, D.C. alone, urban treesand forests absorb 395,100 kg (878,000pounds) of pollutants a year.

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MAPLE SYRUP

Canada

Native Americans taught settlers to make sugarfrom maple sap in the early 1600s. Now Canadaexports 28,000 tonnes (31,000 tons) of maplesyrup to more than 30 countries – 85 percent ofthe world’s supply. A single sugar maple tree(Acer saccharum) produces enough sap to makeabout one liter of syrup a year.

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BRAZIL NUTS

Peru

Natural stands of Brazil nut trees (Bertholletiaexcelsa) in Amazonian tropical forests producevaluable commercial nuts. The Brazil nutmarket supports forest conservation, as well ascreating revenue for local people. In Peru, theBrazil nut concessions are managed primarily bylocal families.

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WEATHER

Brazil

In addition to mitigating global climate change,forests can affect local weather. In the Amazon,they retain moisture and regulate temperature.Trees recycle half of the Amazon’s rainfall -water that evaporates from trees in the morningcomes back in the afternoon thunderstorms.

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SHEA NUTS

Burkina Faso

The nut of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa) containsabout 50 percent fat, which has long been usedlocally in cooking, cosmetics, ointments, and soap. Ithas also become a source of income for the womenwho harvest it, thanks to growing demands fromcosmetic, international food, and pharmaceuticalindustries.

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PAPER

Finland

Finland supplies 25 percent of the world’s printingpaper, although it has only 0.5 percent of the world’sforests. Paper, and the wood pulp used to make it,account for more than half the global trade in forestproducts.

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RECREATION

Finland

People like to camp, fish, hike, hunt, pick berries,ride, walk, and watch birds in forests the world over.In some parts of Europe, even private lands mustallow access for public recreational use. Finnishcitizens enjoy an extensive public right of access toall forests.

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FURNITURE

Russia

In our global economy, Swedish designed furnituresold in the U.S. might be made in China from woodgrown in Russia. Producers take advantage of thelowest labor and raw material costs around the world.In Russia, where forests cover 70 percent of the landand span nine time zones, logs can sell for a fractionof the prices charged in other parts of the world.

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SOIL

Madagascar

Trees and other vegetation hold soil in place. Withsevere soil erosion - caused by slash-and-burnagriculture, heavy logging, and overgrazing - thenative forests of Madagascar are unable toregenerate. Most of the animals and plants thatdepend on this habitat exist nowhere else on Earth.

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EUCALYPTUS OIL

China

First introduced to the Western world about 150years ago, this distilled oil is used to treat a variety ofailments, including coughs and muscle aches. It’s alsoa flavoring, cleanser, and insect repellant. Althougheucalyptus trees (Eucalyptus globulus) are native toAustralia, China now produces about half the world’ssupply of the oil.

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BAMBOO

China

Often called the “poor man’s timber,” bamboo(Bambusoideae) is actually a grass. It plays a crucial rolein rural economies throughout Asia. It grows up tothree feet a day, a third faster than the fastest-growing trees. Bamboo is used for everything fromfood to building materials, furniture, and utensils.

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JUJUBES

China

Fruit can be an important source of food andincome from forests. Jujubes, or Chinese dates(Ziziphusjujuba), are high in vitamin C and have beenused medicinally for centuries. Today, because thetrees grow well in degraded soil, they are beingplanted to combat desertification and to supplementrural incomes.

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BOATS

Thailand

Sampans are common on the rivers, lakes, canals,and protected bays of Southeast Asia. Those flat-bottomed, paddle-powered wooden boats are usedfor transportation, fishing, and even housing.

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MUSHROOMS

Taiwan

One cancer-fighting fungus, Antrodia camphorate, isfound only in Taiwan and is inside endangeredcamphor trees. Because of its medicinal propertiesand rarity, this fungus sells for thousands of dollars apound. Biotechnology companies are working todevelop cultured forms of the fungus that are aspotent as the natural form.

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MEDICAL HERBS

Nepal

Local people harvest thousands of tons of medicinaland aromatic herbs annually from Himalayan forestsand meadows. Much of the harvest is for export.This trade generates opportunities for economicdevelopment, as well as concerns about overharvesting.

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SACRED TREES

India

Trees figure in spiritual and religious life around theworld. According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddhawas sitting under a tree, meditating, when he achievedenlightenment (bodhi). The bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa),sacred to Hindus as well as Buddhists, is a species offig.

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SAL LEAVES

India

Many women earn income collecting the leaves of saltrees (Shorea robusta) and stitching them together tomake plates. The disposable and biodegradable dishesare finding a growing international market. In thestate of Orissa, non-timber forest products such asthese contribute as much as 40 percent of ruralhousehold income.

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TEA

Thailand

In the mountain forests of northern Thailand, onevillage community harvests and sells green tea fromnatural stands of tea trees (Thea sinensis) that theyenrich with new plantings. The 'miang” (green) teagardens support the whole village community.

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RUBBER

Malaysia

Natural rubber, or latex, is tapped from the Heveabrasiliensis tree. Although rubber trees are native toBrazil, 85% of the world’s production now comesfrom Asia, where large-scale plantations wereintroduced in the 1800s. Synthetics are now available,but natural rubber supplies a third of the market.

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SPICES

Indonesia

Many spices are derived from the bark, sap, fruit,stems, leaves, roots, flowers, or seeds of tropicalforest trees. Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) is the seed ofan evergreen tree native to the East Indian 'SpiceIslands.” Another spice, mace, is the seed’s bright redcoating. The spice trade generally flows from thetropics to the rest of the world.

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RESIN

Philippines

Almaciga resin, or Manila copal (Agathis philippensis),which is linoleum, paint, plastics, printing ink, soap,and varnish, is a major source of export income.New sustainable tapping methods are replacingtraditional methods that can damage and ultimatelykill the trees.

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WEAPONS

Japan

Medieval weapons were often made of wood, andmodern martial arts practitioners still use a variety ofwooden swords, sticks, and spears. In Kendo, the artof Japanese fencing, the bokken, or bokuto, is asolid wood sword made of oak or other hardwoods.

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BIODIVERSITY

Australia

Many of Australia’s plants and animals are foundnowhere else on Earth. Over half of Australia’sastounding biodiversity is in its forests andwoodlands. Biodiversity is important for ensuringthe health of the natural environment, cleaning theair and water, and maintaining fer­tile soils.

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MOUNTAIN FORESTS

Armenia and Georgia

Isolated by steep terrain, mountain forest ecosystemsoften contain species found nowhere else. Forests inmountainous areas play an important role inprotecting water resources and preventing soil erosionand flooding. Yet some of the most densely populatedforests of the world are in mountain zones, wheredemands for cropland, fuelwood, and constructionmaterials exert high pressure on the forest. Georgiaand Armenia have developed national action plans toconserve those habitats.

JAGUAR

United States

The jaguar is endangered in much of its naturalrange, which extends through North, Central, andSouth America. North of the Mexican border, it isparticularly rare. Loss of forest habitat, humanencroachment, and illegal hunting are primary factorsin its decline. Jaguars are killed for their prized furand to prevent their preying on livestock.

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MACAWS

Brazil

Although macaws are among the most endangeredspecies of the parrot family, the hyacinth macaw is arelative success story. Thanks to an artificial nestingprogram and to public education countering theillegal pet trade, the macaw’s numbers are growing insome areas. But it is still threatened by loss of itsforest habitat to logging and agriculture.

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IBERIAN LYNX

Spain and Portugal

The Iberian lynx is the most endangered of all cats,and is likely to become extinct in the wild in 10-20years. With loss and fragmentation of its woodlandand scrub habitat and with depletion of preypopulations, only about 200 survive. Governments,private landowners, and conservation organizationsare working to establish habitat managementagreements and captive breeding programs.

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BUSHMEAT

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Hunting wild animals - particularly duikers, pigs,porcupines, and primates - for bushmeat is a long-established tradition and source of income. But thegrowing demand, increasing forest access, andgrowing sales of bushmeat threaten biodiversity.Wildlife conservationists are working to improveprotection of species and habitats and to createeconomic alternatives for local communities.

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ORANGUTAN

Indonesia and Malaysia

Orangutan means “person of the forest.” This greatape’s 90 percent population decline is largely theresult of destruction of its forest habitat. Logging,agriculture, and plantations are major threats, alongwith hunting. Protecting the orangutan fromextinction will require creating and expandingprotected areas and restricting the trade in meat andwild animals.

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WOODLAND CARIBOU

Canada

These “grey ghosts” of the boreal forest need largetracts of mature forest for protection from predatorsand for the slow-growing lichens they eat. Oncewidely distributed across Canada - from the Yukon toNewfoundland - populations are dwindling asdevelopment, roads, agriculture, logging, mining, andoil and gas exploration encroach on their habitat. InAlberta, where woodland caribou are on theendangered wildlife list, fewer than 7,000 remain.

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Tuvalu

By some estimates, Tuvalu and other low-lying islandcountries could disappear within 50 years, as globalwarming contributes to sea level rise. Deforestation ispart of the cause. Clearing forests decreases theabsorption of carbon through photosynthesis.Burning fossil fuels increases emissions of carbongases that trap heat in the atmosphere.

MANGROVES AND COSTAL COMMUNITIES

Indonesia

Indonesia has nearly a quarter of the world’smangrove forests. Those trees and shrubs, growingalong tropical and sub­tropical coastlines, supportsome of the world’s most productive ecosystems.Thousands of coastal communities rely onmangrove forests for fuelwood, fish, and otherproducts. But mangrove forests worldwide areshrinking as rivers are dammed and large tracts areconverted to rice fields and to fish and shrimpponds.

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CONVERSION OF FORESTS TO AGRICULTURE

Taiwan

Agriculture is the chief cause of deforestation inboth developed and developing countries. Farming,especially on steep slopes, can be damaging to theecosystem because of excessive tilling, pesticide use,and soil erosion. An organic rice farm in Taiwan ispart of a government effort to teach farmers torotate crops, to use non-chemical pest control, and totill less.

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Global

Rising global temperatures and sea levels are blamedon an increase in carbon dioxide, methane, and other“green­house” gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.Clearing forests and burning fossil fuels are part ofthe problem.

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POVERTY & DEFORESTATION

Brazil

Each year, thousands of square kilometers ofAmazonian forests are burned for farming andranching, often by poor and landless farmers. Forcedto relocate to the forest frontier, they practicedestructive slash-and­burn agriculture. Facingcomplex poverty and land rights issues, the Braziliangovernment is working with local communities andnongovernmental organizations to encouragesustainable farming practices.

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PLANTATION

New Zealand

Plantations - mainly in Asia, Oceania, and SouthAmerica - supply about a fifth of the global demandfor wood. In New Zealand, plantations of fast-growing softwoods provide 99 percent of the annualforest harvest, with most remaining natural forestsset aside as preserves.

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FUELWOOD

Mali

Nearly two and half billion people - usually the ruralpoor - rely on wood for cooking and heating.Fuelwood accounts for more than half of theworld’s wood consumption. In places where suppliesare dwindling, fuelwood gathering can deplete theforest, leading to soil loss, landslides, and flooding.Reducing poverty, establishing property rights, andintroducing alternative fuels can promote sustainableuse of this important resource.

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MONOCULTURE FORESTRY

Denmark

One of the most important species in Danishforestry is the Norway spruce (Picea abies). When itwas introduced to Denmark 200 years ago, Norwayspruce was often planted in single-species stands.Those forests proved to be vulnerable to insectattacks and to blowing over in the wind. Today,Denmark is planting Norway spruce with a mix ofother tree species to minimize damage from wind,insects, and diseases.

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ENDANGERED PLANTS

India

India boasts 1,800 medicinal plants. The Ashoka tree(Saraca asoca) is one of hundreds that are threatenedby over-harvesting, wasteful processing, andincreasing human encroachment into forest habitats.Some cultivation programs have begun on degradedlands. A proposed nationwide biodiversityinformation network would inventory those plantspecies, which are a major source of export income.

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FLOODING

Bangladesh

In the natural flood plain of Bangladesh, forest loss,urbanization, and rising sea levels are a devastatingcombination. Natural river channels - silted up withtopsoil eroded from deforested slopes or filled in todevelop housing and roads - cannot contain theannual monsoon deluges. Government-built riverembankments and drainage systems provide somerelief, but improved forest management practices andflood warning systems are critically needed.

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DESERTIFICATION

China

Blowing sand chokes agricultural land, and Beijing isoften pounded with sandstorms. Stripped ofvegetation and topsoil, 2,500 square kilometers a yearturn to desert. This change is the result of clearingforests, grazing, and collecting firewood. To stem theencroaching desert, China has launched the world’slargest tree replanting effort.

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FIRES

Indonesia

Massive forest fires in 1997-98 captured the world’sattention. The fires were intended to clear land forsubsistence farming and commercial tree plantations.Severe environmental conditions and a lack ofmonitoring allowed the fires to burn out of control,thereby polluting the air for months and destroyingthe wildlife habitat.

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LAND SLIDES

Taiwan

In this mountainous landscape, deforestationmultiplies the effects of frequent earthquakes andstorms. Massive mudslides can bury a village inminutes. To better manage water drainage, theTaiwanese government is establishing a major forestplanting initiative, a flood warning system, and aprogram for stabilizing hillsides.

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SALINITY

Australia

Millions of hectares of farmland have turned topatches of salt desert as the water table rises, bringingwith it salt that has been stored deep in the ground forthousands of years. The problem stems from clearingnative vegetation for agriculture. To combat theproblem, Australians are looking to replant native treeand shrub species, which have deeper root systems.

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LAND TENURE

Poland

Eastern European countries are returning forests toprivate ownership - with mixed results. Althoughprivate ownership can improve local income andcontrol and can encourage forest planting, small andfragmented landholdings may not be economicallyviable. In Poland, 1.4 million forest owners averageless than five hectares per household. Hopes forbetter forest conservation are challenged by a lack ofenvironmental awareness and financial resources andby a weak institutional framework.

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