Where is Deforestation a Big Problem?

Citation: Revenga, C., S. Murray , J. Abramovitz, and A. Hammond, 1998. Watersheds of the World: Ecological Value and Vulnerability. Washington , DC : World Resources Institute.

The map above points out the deforestation rate by subbasin in the tropics for the period 1980 though 1990. “Of the 62 basins analyzed, 14 lost more than 10 percent of their forest cover between 1980 and 1990. Almost all these basins, except for Lake Tanganyika , are found in Central and South America and in mainland Southeast Asia . Minor basins in the Amazon and Paraná in South America, and the Indus, Mekong, Irridawy, and Chao Phrya basins in Asia have the highest average deforestation rate, between 15 and 30 percent for the period 1980 – 1990” (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States. Tropical Deforestation, 1980-1990.)

According to the Ecologist, half of the world’s forest cover has been destroyed. “Over 60% of temperate broadleaf and mixed forests have been lost; about 45 percent of tropical moist forests; and approximately 70% of tropical dry forests.” (Lee, 2002)

Here deforestation rates of the world’s humid tropical forests will be discussed as economic, demographic, and social changes are exerting great pressure on the forest cover and conditions in this region. Between the period of 1990 and 1997, “5.8+/-1.4 million hectares of humid tropical forest were lost each year, with a further 2.3 +/-0.7 million hectares of forest visibly degraded” ( Achard, 2002). From these figures the conclusion can be made that the global net rate of change in forest cover for humid tropics is “23% lower than the generally accepted rate” ( Achard). This data was derived from using satellite imagery to provide a reliable measurement of change in tropical forest cover in a uniform, independent, and repeatable manner (Achard, 2002).

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According to Table 1, Southeast Asia has the highest percentage deforestation rate, where Africa lost its forests at half the rate of Southeast Asia. Latin America showed the lowest percentage rate, but “at a rate of 2.5x10 6 hectare per year,” really similar to that of Southeast Asia. Forest degradation followed a similar pattern, highest in Southeast Asia, then Africa, and lowest in Latin America. ( Achard, 2002)

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These forest changes took place in number of hot spot areas, where the rates were too high. In Latin America, the forests transformed to agriculture by clear-cutting dominated in the hot spots, where it was heavily logged, or burned. Africa surprisingly had a higher deforestation rate then Latin America, where the high local rates were in Madagascar, and Cote d’Ivoire. 310, 000 hectare per year were transformed to agriculture. In Southeast Asia, the numbers were alarming, where 1.06 x10 6 hectare per year of forests were converted into agriculture ( Achard,2002)

Fig. 1. Locations of the 100 observation sites around the tropics.

” Satellite image of deforestation in the Amazon region, taken from the Brazilian state of Para on July 15, 1986 . The dark areas are forest, the white is deforested areas, and the gray is re-growth. The pattern of deforestation spreading along roads is obvious in the lower half of the image. Scattered larger clearings can be seen near the center of the image .”

Citation : Tropical Deforestation. NASA