Causes of Rural Land Degradation in the Amazon Flashcards
Slash and Burn
Tribes within the Amazon take part in a type of agriculture called slash and burn. Here tribes cut down large areas in order to plant and grow crops. They burn the trees in order to give the soil nutrients. After 4-5 years the soil becomes infertile and the tribe then have to clear another area, worsening the problem.
Cattle Ranching
As the World’s population rises, so does its demand for food. Huge areas of the Amazon are cleared for huge cattle ranches, which have thousands of cattle being bred to be sold as meat. Brazil has become one of the largest exporters of beef in the world. According to the Global Canopy Programme, 75% of deforestation in Brazil is linked to the cattle industry, with the cattle herd in the Amazon growing by 140% from 1990 to 2003.
Hydro Electric Power (HEP)
As Brazil’s population continues to rise, so does its need for energy. Five large dams and 35 others planned for the Tapajós River and its tributaries south of Santarém have been promoted by the government and global engineering and energy companies as a solution to Brazil’s recession and severe electricity shortages.
Logging
The Amazon is being targeted by domestic and transnational corporations as a key source for tropical timber products. Huge majestic trees like the Samauma, also known as the “Queen of the Forest”, are being exploited to make cheap plywood for construction industries in the US, Japan and Europe.
New Roads/ Settlements
Not only the building of these causes deforestation but road and highway construction in the rainforest also opens up large areas to deforestation. In Brazil, the Trans-Amazonian highway resulted in the destruction of huge areas of forest by colonists, loggers, and land speculators.
Mining
Many forested areas are rich in minerals and therefore vulnerable to deforestation. The Amazon is considered to have great potential for mineral assets, namely copper, tin, nickel, bauxite, manganese, iron ore and gold. As a result, governments are providing tax incentives for large-scale projects, in order to boost development.
