Deforestation Causing Devastation In The Amazon

Looking at the Amazon Rain Forest and identifying why deforestation is happening and increasing.

So what do I hope to achieve from this blog, I hope to give people a greater understanding or some understanding of the situation in the Amazon, however I do not intend just to document the events and causes like many other blogs and reports but to also inform people as to why it is happening and thought to be necessary and in some cases possible alternatives.
The Amazon rain forest is an amazing feat of nature and home to millions of species of plants and animals, and for this reasons deforestation and destruction of this landscape must be stopped. But first lets try and figure out why it is happening, what is it being replaced, who are the ones behind and what are the consequences?

The rain forest is being destroyed for five main reasons these are; infrastructure improvement, commercial agriculture, logging and pasture land for cattle. After looking at these reasons in more depth, we will analyse the possible alternatives to these issues.

Infrastructure is necessary for many countries to develop economically, which for many impoverished countries is crucial to escape from an economic depression. However I am not going to try and explain or describe the economic situations of the South American countries in which the Amazon lies, it is only necessary that we understand why countries may want too or need to clear the forest to make room for highways and roads. One of the most ambitious projects is the highway that would link Brazil's Amazon river ports to Peru's Pacific ports, which is known as the "Transoceanic Highway" bringing commercial development benefits. However the environmental implications are far greater including; deforestation, which has a direct linked to a reduction in biodiversity, a loss in ecotourism value and this is a sustainable industry and is becoming increasingly profitable for the country and for the local community and Amazonian tribal communities. Another implication is soil erosion, which in cleared areas of forest where soil is exposed the soil is washed into to rivers and builds which causes flooding in low lying areas. So it can be argued that many countries need this highway to grow economically, however we have to consider whether or not this outweighs the environmental implications?

The soybean industry is one of the main contributors to deforestation and is ever worsening as Brazilian scientists have developed a soybean that can flourish in rain forests conditions which cuts the rain forest fringe even more.It is obvious why this is happening as Brazil is one of the world largest exporters of soybean and is fast becoming the largest. However what are the alternatives? When looking alternatives with have to make sure you are not just shifting a problem somewhere else for example using soybeans as an alternative to palm oil, which discussed in the previous blog. One alternative is cotton production, which is more conducive to the soil and climate of production.

Logging should be a controlled and sustainable industry as strict licensing limits logging to designated areas, however illegal loggers are abusing the forests and therefore creating an unsustainable industry and creating a major environmental problem. But then how do you stop someone doing it when they are already logging illegal and are risking the consequences associated with it? One way would be to increase the sanctions for any logging illegally and increase patrols, looking for them. Another way would be to have some kind of ID card, which would prove that the wood had been logged in a legal area.

Now we have arrived at the leading cause of deforestation in Brazilian Amazon, pasture land for cattle which has recently had a dramatic increase for several reasons; currency devaluation, control over diseases, improved infrastructure, and laws that mean if you put cattle on your land you can use acquire Amazonian Land. Once again an obvious measure would be to use stricter guidelines and review existing laws.

Is there a way in which man-kind and the environment of the Amazon live in equilibrium? As I see it yes, however it would require everyone follow guidelines and rules, but this is in fact an unlikely scenario unless stricter laws and law enforcers are brought in. I believe that this is a necessary and crucial action that must be taken too save the Amazon and biodiversity in turn, especially with potential cures and answers to unsolved mysteries in life.

Please feel free to leave any feedback or comments, thanks Alex.