Forest loss slows, as China plants and Brazil preserves

[pampango]

Source: BBC



The world's net rate of forest loss has slowed markedly in the last decade, with less logging in the Amazon and China planting trees on a grand scale. "This is the first time we've been able to say that the deforestation rate is going down across the world, and certainly when you look at the net rate that is certainly down.

Yet forests continue to be lost at "an alarming rate" in some countries, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Its Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010 finds the loss of tree cover is most acute in Africa and South America.



"Both Brazil and Indonesia are reporting a significant drop in the loss of forests," said Dr Loyche Wilkie. "In Brazil it's spectacular, and that's largely because there is a political goal to reduce deforestation by 80% by 2020 and that's supported by the president."

As deforestation has fallen, there has also been an increase in the planting of new forests, particularly in China, leading to a net increase in national forest cover of three million hectares per year. India and Vietnam have also mounted significant forest-planting programmes, the FAO notes.



Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8586701.stm

[loudsue]

1. The deforestation in the USA is appalling. In North Carolina

they're taking down acres & acres of huge old oak trees every day. Clear-cutting.

There are no limits to the greed that capitalism encourages.

[Hestia]

2. They are doing it in Arkansas too, you wouldn't believe the deforestation on the tops

of mountains here. It is so bad, it will cut into tourist dollars. Who wants to see bare ground instead of trees?

[tama]

3. Erosion

The old civilization killer.

Imagine a civilization that didn't produce erosion and imperialism to find new land to erode!?