Managing Deforestation

Question 1

Benefits of protection of forested areas

Answer 1

• Useful for educational, recreational purposes, and scientific study
• Some indigenous lands are protected, sustaining indigenous people’s way of life

Question 2

Describe public education as a forest conservation measure

Answer 2

Tell ppl importance of rainforests and ways to contribute to conserving rainforests
Changes ppl attitudes & practices towards rainforests
Creates awareness, appreciation and understanding of rich biodiversity -> more mindful of the way ppl use rainforest resources

Question 3

Challenges of reforestation

Answer 3

• Expensive and time-consuming (abt 15 yrs for canopy to grow)
• Depends on the availability of native plants for reforestation

Question 4

Challenges of controlled logging

Answer 4

• Identifying and logging selected trees is time-consuming and difficult to implement
• Rainforest covers a large area -> difficult to track illegal loggers

Question 5

Describe reforestation

Answer 5

Planting of trees in areas where the original forest has been cleared
Conserve and recover native plant species

Question 6

Benefits of public education

Answer 6

• Far-reaching, long-term effects
• Leads to action and participation from community

Question 7

Describe controlled logging

Answer 7

Allows logging only in certain areas & in a sustainable manner
Done via:
* Penalties for illegal logging
* Education & research programmes -> inform timber companies of damage
* Cutting down selected species
* Account for every tree logged (prevents total clearance)

Question 8

Benefits of reforestation

Answer 8

• Soil fertility can be improved -> sustaining plant growth
• Reduce erosion, maintain the water cycle
• Preserve the rainforest habitat and biodiversity
• Create more jobs for local communities

Question 9

Describe protection of forested areas

Answer 9

Unsustainable logging and agricultural practices are banned through laws
Result: high biodiversity, indigenous and traditional communities preserved

Question 10

Challenges of public education

Answer 10

• Turning environmental awareness into personal behaviour and action is difficult.
• Raising awareness of the Amazon rainforest is difficult in some countries with low literacy rates.
• Many of the countries around the Amazon obtain income from exports derived from the rainforest →reliant on the rainforest, not as willing to cut down on deforestation even if aware of impacts

Question 11

Challenges of protection of forested areas

Answer 11

• Areas **not fenced **and still vulnerable to human impact
• Officers responsible for monitoring the protected areas may give in to corruption and allow loggers and miners to illegally enter protected areas
• Not enough forest rangers to patrol
  the huge areas of the Amazon rainforest -> families illegally settling in the protected areas.
• In Singapore, there is a need to balance development and biodiversity conservation