Environment and Society in Latin America

Big Ideas The people of Latin America have altered the land through agriculture, development of infrastructure, logging, mining, and urbanization. Natural disasters have impacted the lives of millions of people in Latin America. Tourism is having a growing impact on the environment of Latin America

Agriculture reshapes the Environment Native people were the first to change their environment to grow food They burned the forest to clear land for planting and diverted streams to irrigate crops The built raised fields in swampy areas and carved terraces out of hillsides

Slash and Burn To clear fields, natives used the slash and burn technique Cut trees and vegetation and burned the debris The same method is used today, but some use destructive farming practices Soon the soil has no nutrients, and they burn a new area Helps cause shrinking rain forests

Terraced Farming Terraced farming is an ancient technique for growing crops on hillsides or mountain slopes Farmers cut step-like horizontal fields into hillsides Reduces soil erosion The Inca and Aztecs both used terraced farming

Deforestation in the Amazon The Amazon rainforests have the highest rate of deforestation It’s home to 60% of the world’s remaining tropical rainforest In these regions deforestation is mostly caused by cattle ranching and agriculture Evidence of deforestation dates back much further than modern times, owing to the fact that deforestation is also a natural process.

Causes of Deforestation Commercial Logging Agriculture Roads & Railways Forest fires Mining and drilling Fuel-wood collection Residential living space Natural processes

Benefits of Deforestation Economic benefits Sustenance development Fertility Services provided Habitation

Consequences of Deforestation Vanishing Rainforests Topsoil accumulates slowly Erosion Unusable land Disastrous Flooding Clearance = limited food and shelter Desertification Disappearance of ways of life Negative impact on the climate Global warming Green house effect Build up of CO2 Habitat fragmentation

Read this Quote: “Forest management with a focus and intention that it be used in the combination that will best meet the needs of people and not necessarily the combination of uses that will give the greatest dollar return.”

Do the immediate benefits outweigh the long-term costs of deforestation?

Trans-Amazon Highway One of the most ambitious resettlement-economic development programs ever devised, and one of the greatest failures. A 3,000 mile highway, stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Peruvian border, is an important factor in the economic development of the Amazon region. The sediments of the Amazon Basin rendered the highway unstable and subject to inundation during heavy rains, blocking traffic and leaving crops to rot.

Impact of the Panama Canal Benefits –Water transportation –Hydro electric power –Industrial use –Time saving navigation –Stimulated Panama’s Economy –Increase in Population –Increased Infrastructure –Increased Tourism Disadvantages –Soil erosion and landslides –Loss of vegetation because of changes in land use –Deterioration of air quality from increased ship traffic and construction activity –Disturbance to wildlife

Natural Disasters The number of people in Latin America and the Caribbean affected by extreme weather events, including high temperatures, forest fires, droughts, storms and floods grew from 5 million in the 1970s to more than 40 million between 2000 and 2009 (United Nations) Some natural disasters are triggered because of the region’s location along the Ring of Fire.

Ring of Fire The "Ring of Fire“ is an arc stretching from New Zealand, along the eastern edge of Asia, north across the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, and south along the coast of North and South America. The Ring of Fire is composed over 75% of the world's active and dormant volcanoes.

Natural Disasters Volcanic Eruptions Drought in land-locked countries Landslides Earthquakes Tsunamis Hurricanes Floods

"The region has had to deal with highly variable climates for many centuries. It has developed very resilient forms of agriculture based upon high levels of diversity of crops, which are adapted to grow in a wide range of microclimates. The danger that now seems to be facing people in the region is that those conditions could become more permanent and more extreme,"

Rain Shadow Effect The Atacama Desert and Patagonia lie in the rain shadow of the Andes Mountains. Rain shadows exist on the dry side of mountains They do not get much rain due to the mountains blocking the rain Deserts are usually located here, or even short grass prairie

Windward side of the Mountain Leeward side of the Mountain Rain Shadow Graphic created by EJoyce

Urbanization Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay are the most urbanized countries in South America (>85%) Brazil is also highly urbanized People move in hope of improving their lives Push factors include poor medical car, education and low-paying jobs Pull factors include higher-paying jobs, better schools and medical care

Fastest Growing: Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Buenos Aires in Argentina, Lima in Peru, Bogota in Columbia, and Santiago in Chile Mexico City is by far the largest (18-20 million) Slums are spreading across the cities Unemployment and crime have increased High pollution Shortage of water Government cannot afford the infrastructure needed Rapidly Growing Cities

Tourism Advantages: –Income –Create jobs –Cruise ships anchor in port –Hotels, restaurants, etc have opened –Narrows the gap between the rich and poor Disadvantages: –Congestion occurs –Pollution increases –Income gap increases resentment –Govts. Can run up debt building tourist attractions –Owners may not live in country Tourism is a growth industry throughout Latin America