Case Studies

What is a Case Study?

• A case study is an in-depth investigation of an
individual subject.

• Case studies can be done on any subject or

topic
• Because this unit is about Latin America
and specifically the environment of Latin
America, each of you are going to do a
case study on an Environmental issue
• BUT WAIT!!! We don’t know how to do a
case study!!!!!!!

• That is perfectly ok, because I am about to

show you an example of one…
CASE STUDY EXAMPLE
 Coffee Production and
Deforestation in the Amazon
PROBLEM: Thousands of acres of
Amazon Rain Forest are being
burned in order to grow coffee
trees
• Once you’ve stated the problem/issue you
can begin to research the issue

• Here are some websites I used to

research my topic on Coffee in the
Amazon.
 Rainforest Alliance

http://www.rainforest-
alliance.org/agriculture.cfm?
id=coffee

Take 3-5 minutes to access this

website and scan some of the
information
Rainforest Alliance Key Points

• Coffee is farmed on about (30 million acres)

worldwide (The size of England)
• Only 1.3% of that coffee produced is RA
certified
• For 150 years, coffee was farmed under the
canopy of the rain forest on natural trees,
• Now is grown on under-the-sun plants in
monocultural farms.
• Deforestation is rampant
 TheAtlantic.com

http://www.theatlantic.com/
issues/99aug/9908ecocoffee.htm

Take 3-5 minutes to access this

website and scan some of the
information
Key Points from TheAtlantic.com

• Technified coffee is vastly produced

• Natural coffee tastes better and is better
for the environment
• Coffee can be grown without disturbing
any of the rain forest vegetation
• Bird migration routes are being altered by
the deforestation
• More chemicals are required for sun trees
 Iracambi

http://www.iracambi.com/
english/research_papers/
deforestation_coffee_cultivation_
abstract.shtml

Take 3-5 minutes to access this

website and scan some of the
information
Key Points on Iracambi

• Within the first century of coffee

cultivation, some 7,200 km2 of primary
forest were cleared for coffee cultivation
(Dean 1995)
• Crop-rotation could help with the forest
devastation
• New forests are being planted in plains to
recover what has been lost
 World Wildlife Fund

http://www.panda.org/about_ww
f/what_we_do/policy/agriculture_
environment/commodities/
coffee/environmental_impacts/
index.cfm

Take 3-5 minutes to access this

website and scan some of the
information
Key Points from the WWF

• Of the 50 countries in the world with the

highest deforestation rates from 1990 to
1995, 37 were coffee producers

• Full-sun coffee plantations support 90%

fewer bird species than shade-grown
coffee.
Key Point #1

• Vast amounts of rain forest (and the

shade coffee trees in them) are being cut
down in order for sun coffee trees to be
grown and harvested more quickly
Key Point #2

• By cutting down the shade coffee trees,

the primary rain forest must be cut down
as well and this primary forest cannot
recover back to it’s original state for years
and years
Key Point #3
• The life of sun coffee trees is significantly
shorter making shade trees the more
healthy solution even though not the
quickest method
– More animal and plant life exists in and
around the shade trees
– Shade coffee trees live longer
– Large amounts of pesticides and herbicides
are required to help sun coffee trees survive
and these end up in the waterways
Conclusion

• Deforestation and its side effects are a

direct result that cannot be avoided during
the cultivation of the sun coffee trees
• Wildlife/Nature agencies are finally
beginning to act in an effort to protect vital
rain forest land
• Methods of conservation are being, and
should be explored in order to protect
some of the most diverse, and vital plant
and animal life on the planet
 Amazon Interactive
Coffee or Conservation???
http://www.eduweb.com/
agriculture/comag.html