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
0.97 1990
2000
2000
0.82
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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