Transcript Oct20WorldForests

Environmental Science
PowerPoint Lecture
Principles of Environmental
Science - Inquiry and Applications,
2nd Edition, 2004
by William and Mary Ann Cunningham
Chapter 6 - Topics
• World Forests
•
•
•
•
Rangelands
Parks and Nature Preserves
World Parks and Preserves
Wilderness Areas and Wildlife Refuges
Where collect
forest
products?
Where forests
located
globally?
HERE?
Human Disturbance Map
FAO 1999,
WRI 1998-1999
GLOBE
Forests,
woodlands
= 33%
land area
~ 66% area in
RESOURCE
EXTRACTION
Range,
Pastures =
23%
Ice, rock, desert
etc. = 32%
Ag =
10%
Built
land
= 2%
Who imports
wood, who
cuts trees?
South America
Oceania
3
Europe
4
14
25
15
Asia
Africa
24
Former
USSR
16
North/ Central
America
% of Total Area in Forests Globally
Main vegetation zones of the world’s forests
under natural conditions
Part 1: World Forests
70-80% of
original
~ 30% of
original
Global Wood Use , %
90%
80%
70%
86
60%
50%
40%
30%
World
USA
51
49
20%
10%
0%
14
Fuelwood -cook, heat
Wood products
World Consumption, 1994 (% of total)
Asia
Africa
South Am
former USSR
N/Cen Am
Europe
Oceania
TOTAL
Fuelwood
Fiber – paper
products
Non-fiber
roundwood
93
81
50
44
21
15
7
56
1
6
31
17
37
33
14
18
6
13
19
39
41
52
79
25
DEFORESTATION: Charcoal production – Northern Brazil
Outside New Delhi, India – houses made of cow piles
Himalayas - India
Harvesting resin
Collecting
leaves for fodder
Forest Products
India Himalayas –
cutting trees for
fire wood
Manikara zapota
(chicle), Belize
Wood Consumption
• Total annual world wood consumption is about
3.7 billion metric tons, more then steel and
plastic consumption together.
• Firewood accounts for slightly more than 50% of
all wood harvested worldwide.
• Developed countries produce less than half of all
wood used for industrial purposes, but account
for about 80% of its consumption.
• By 2025, demand for fuelwood may be twice the
available supply.
• About 25% of the world’s forests are
managed for wood production.
• Monoculture forestry - single species
• Ideal: scientific planning for
sustainable harvests
Tropical Forest Issues
Estimated
rate of
tropical
forest
losses
Some Causes of Tropical Deforestation
• Logging for valuable hardwoods such as
mahogany
• Clearing of land for cattle ranches and export
crop production (bananas, pineapples, palm oil
plantations etc.)
• Slash and burn agriculture – this is listed by
the text but is such a different level that it
should not be included in this list
• Mining - gold
North Brazil
Malaysia, palm oil
DEFORESTATION: Valued timber species - Indonesia
Cutting and burning of tropical
rainforest results in:
• Wildlife loss, over
hunting
• Habitat loss, species
changes
• Rapid water runoff
• Soil erosion
• Waste forest
resources
• Climate change
other parts of world
(Amazon)
Logging roads open up forest access to
landless settlers
Forest acres in USA between 1600 – 1992
(decrease 46% to 32%)
USA Forest Area
M illio n A c r e s
1100
1000
900
800
700
600
500
400
1630 1907 1920 1938 1953 1963 1970 1977 1987 1992
Year
Temperate Forest Issues
• Logging of oldgrowth
• Endangered species
vs. jobs
• Northern spotted
owl
• Salmon
• Natural resource
extractive
economies – rural
environments
Driving negative reactions to
forest management
 Clear-cutting
 Use
of single species in
monocultures
 Road construction to
harvest forests
Clear-cutting and Road Building
Fire Management and Forest Health
Rationales for Certification
• Social movement
in tropics
• Dislike of past land practices
• Mistrust of landowners
• Disjunction between production and
consumers
SUSTAINABILITY
“ability to meet the needs of the
present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet
their own needs”
(World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987)
Why Consider Forest Certification?
• Public concern over globalization
• Public want more values/land
• Supply chain increasingly scrutinized
• Retailers prefer credible suppliers
• Consolidation strengthens buyers
• Non-Tariff trade barriers will increase
• Global markets impact US markets
• Gain market share and efficiency
• Improve market prices and stability
• Increase industry profitability