1. Environmental concerns about tropical rain forest Spring 2003 Manuel Corro AGED 4713 International Agriculture

2. Objectives To know about: 4 Importance of tropical rain forest 4Causes of deforestation in the tropics 4Sequence of events of deforestation

3. Tropical rain forest Worldwide, 5 to 80 million species of plants and animals comprise the "biodiversity" of planet Earth. Tropical rain forests-covering only 7% of the total dry surface of the Earth-hold over 50 % biodiversity

5. Causes of Deforestation Causes are very complex: Economic reasons Need more land to increase agriculture Commercial logging Agriculture Poor conservation practices Construction of highways & dams

6. Causes of Deforestation Slash and Burn Land degradation Erosion

7. Sequence of events from deforestation to extensive cattle grazing systems in Central America Little economic opportunity Access to forest People migrate to forest and clear land Economic activities: wood, charcoal, cropping Remaining nutrients extracted from forest remnant LOW CROP YIELDS (Nicholson et al 1995)

8. Sequence of events from deforestation to extensive cattle grazing systems in Central America LOW CROP YIELDS Land sold to larger producers Grasses and cattle introduced for small producers Cattle grazing system on formerly forested land (Nicholson et al 1995) Seek for new land to clear

9. How long does it take to recover a deforested land?

10. What can it be done to avoid deforestation?

12. Any Questions ?