THEMATIC SLIDES
FORESTS
FORESTS
• Tai National Park, Côte d`Ivoire
• Kisangani, D.R. of Congo
• Itampolo, Madagascar
• British Columbia, Canada
• Gaspe Peninsula, Canada
• Angangueo, Mexico
• Country Boundary, Guatemala/Mexico
• Olympic Peninsula, United States
• Washington D.C., United States
FORESTS
• Papua, Indonesia
• Demilitarized Zone, Korea
• Oudomxay, Laos
• Arkhangelsk, Russia
• Sakhalin, Russia
• Lappi, Finland
• Iguazú, South America
• Rondônia, Brazil
• Valdivian, Chile
FORESTS
Earth’s shrinking forestland (Ha per capita)
1900 1900-2000
3.18
1950
1.85 1960
1.45 1970
1980
1.17 0.97 1990
2000
0.82
0.64
FORESTS
• Forests cover almost one-third of the earth's land surface; the global area of
forest systems has been reduced by one half over the past three centuries
• Worldwide, the total forest area in 2005 is just under 4 billion hectares; the
rate of deforestation is about 13 million hectares per year. The net change in
forest area in the period 2000-2005 is estimated at -7.3 million hectares/year
• Tropical forests are home to about 50% of all plant and animal species on
the planet
• Approximately 1.5 billion tonnes of wood is harvested for fuel annually
worldwide
• Forests are among the most notable storehouses of biological diversity on
the land - they house over two-thirds of known terrestrial species; they also
harbour the largest share of threatened species
CIDA 2006; WRI 2005; WWF 2005
Deforestation in Tai National Park
Côte d`Ivoire
These images show
deforestation rates in
the area, believed to
be one of the highest
in the world
• 1988: Shows
destruction of small
forest fragments
• 2002: The lighter
green strip bisecting
the images is the
result of extensive
deforestation and
intensive cultivation
Steady deforestation of dense forest
cover in Kisangani, Congo
• 1975: The city and
surrounding areas
are clearly visible
• 2001: The cleared area
around the city has
grown and become
consolidated, spreading
along rivers and roads
Changes in narrow coastal plain of Itampolo
Madagascar
• 1973: Shows
heavily forested area,
home to unique and
rare plant and animal
species
• 2001: The burning of
forest to clear land for
dry rice cultivation has
led to disappearance
of forest area (seen as
tan)
Impact of logging in British Columbia
Canada
• 1975-1999:
Shows the impact
of logging on
reasonably pristine
landscape
Forests along Gaspe Peninsula
Canada
The changes in the
forest due to logging
between 1993 and
2000
Angangueo – an important habitat for
monarch butterflies, Mexico
• 1986: Images show
degradation of forest
area
• 2001: Between 1984
and 1999, 38% of
forests were degraded
Different land use practices visible
across country border, Mexico/Guatemala
• 1974 - 2000:
Conversion of
forest to agriculture
• Now country
border can be
seen even from
space
Disappearing temperate forests of
Olympic Peninsula, United States
• 1974: Shows
patchwork of purple
and pink, indicating
clear-cutting
• 2000: Evidence of
good re-growth of
trees in forest
reserve areas
Dramatic tree loss in Washington D.C.
United States
• Satellite images showing the dramatic loss of trees in the
District moved Mrs. Casey to action
• Casey Trees Endowment Fund was created to restore the
tree cover of the District of Columbia
Conversion of forests into
palm plantations in Papua, Indonesia
• 1990: a new human
presence, earth
colored roads provide
access to the forest
• 2000: rectilinear
patterns cover
10,000 ha
• 2002: Cleared
area nearly doubles
since 2000
Forest in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
Korea
Images
reveal
significant
burn scars
in the DMZ
Deforestation in Oudomxay, Laos
• 1975: Image
shows
continuous
forest cover
• 2000:
Forest cover
dotted with
cleared
patches
Disturbances in forest cover in Arkhangelsk
Russia
• In some places,
large sections of the
forest have been
clear-felled
• Other places show a
block pattern, where
sections of relatively
undisturbed forest are
left between clear-
felled sections
Boreal forests of Sakhalin, Russia
Area burned due
to forest fire in
Boreal region
Exploited Lappi forests in Finland
Images show results
of logging in the
northeastern areas
of the country
The patches of tan in
the 2002 image signify
clearcut areas
Iguazú – home to endangered rain forests
Argentina
• 1973: Forest
cover is
extensive
throughout the
region
• 2003:
Extensive
deforestation in
Paraguay
Converting forests to farmlands in Rondônia
Brazil
• 1975 -
Healthy natural
vegetation
• 1989 - “Fishbone”
pattern on the
landscape indicates
agriculture fields
• 2001 - Agriculture
continues to
replace forest cover
Regular monitoring of Amazon rainforests
Almost one fifth of the Amazon
rainforest has been cleared. Between
August 2003 and August 2004 alone,
26, 000 square km were cleared; 6%
higher than the previous 12 months
Deforestation was worst in
the state of Mato Grosso
Indigenous vs. exotic forests in
Valdivian, Chile
Small scale logging of
native forests,
livestock and
agriculture have been
replaced by large
scale timber
production
• 1975-2001: Show
changes in land
use during the last
30 years
FORESTS
One Planet Many People:
Atlas of Our Changing Environment
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