Tropical rainforests need to be managed to be sustainable Flashcards
goods from the rainforest
-native crops
-medicines
-energy from HEP
-building materials
-wild meat and fish
-water
services from the rainforest
-air purification
-employment opportunities
-protection against soil erosion
-wildlife habitats
-water and nutrient recycling
-biodiversity
what are native food crops from the rainforest used for?
many of the things we eat, such as cocoa, sugar and bananas all come from the rainforest
what are native medicines from the rainforest used for?
lots of ingredients that can be used to treat or cure diseases are found in the rainforest
what is energy from HEP from the rainforest used for?
the rain from the rainforest can be used to power many things
what are building materials from the rainforest used for?
allows the wood to be used for housing
what are wild meat and fish from the rainforest used for?
indigenous people use this as part of their diet
what is water from the rainforest used for?
can be used for farming and hydroelectric power
how does the rainforest create the service of air purification?
reduces the CO2 emissions, biggest carbon sink in the world
how does the rainforest create the service of employment opportunities?
logging and farming are jobs using the rainforest
how does the rainforest create the service of protection against soil erosion?
if the soil erodes the land can’t support farming or cattle ranching
how does the rainforest create the service of wildlife habitats?
plants provide food and shelter for many rare animals
how does the rainforest create the service of water and nutrient recycling?
helps to maintain the health of the rainforest to be used for farming
how does the rainforest create the service of biodiversity?
contains over 30 million plants and species
how does the rainforest create the service of biodiversity?
contains over 30 million plants and species
definition of sustainable uses of the rainforest
uses that allow current generations to make a living from the rainforest without damaging the rainforest for future generations to uses
sustainable uses of the rainforest
-FSC labelling systems
-agroforestry
-selective logging
-trekasaw
-afforestation
-monitoring
-forest reserves and bio islands
-oxen drawn carts
-strip felling
-education
-ecotourism
FSC labelling systems - what is it?
stamp on wooden products to say that the wood has come from a sustainable source
advantages of FSC labelling systems
-can be internationally recognised
-consumers can easily recognise it
-gets the people buying the furniture to think before buying
disadvantages of FSC labelling systems
-timber companies pay FSC assessors to assess their wood company, the assessor wants to have a good reputation so that they get hired more so they may pass timber companies that don’t actually comply with the regulations
-some plantations have been certified even though they damage the environment
-only certifies primary forests
agroforestry- what is it?
growing trees and crops at the same time
advantages of agroforestry
-prevents soil erosion
-increases crop yields
-increases biodiversity
-creates effective short term cash flow
disadvantages of agroforestry
-very labour intensive
-daily farming issues are far more complex
-agroforests often see reduced crop yields because smaller crops would have to compete with the taller trees for light, nutrients and water
selective logging- what is it?
trees are only felled when they reach a particular age
advantages of selective logging
-allows young trees a guaranteed life span and the forest will regain full maturity after around 30-50 years
disadvantages of selective logging
-lose most healthy trees
-regrowth often proved difficult
-can be very harmful for trees
-as old tree fall it harms and destroys small trees around
trekasaw- what is it?
portable saw that can be taken into the forest
advantages of trekasaw
-can cut trees into manageable sections that allows trees to be taken out of the forest without destroying more trees
disadvantages of trekasaw
-is nothing like as efficient as a saw mill
- can not cope with the very largest trees
afforestation- what is it?
-the opposite of deforestation, if trees are cut down they are replaced to maintain the canopy
advantages of afforestation
-grows trees that provide wildlife habitats
-increases supply of timber and charcoal
-helps resolve problem of climate change
-helps prevent soil erosion
disadvantages of afforestation
-comes with real opportunity costs
-land can not be used for other uses
-can affect biodiversity by promoting one species over the others
monitoring- what is it?
use of satellite technology and photography to check that any activities taking place are legal and follow guideline for sustainability
advantages of monitoring
-can police large areas of land
disadvantages of monitoring
-no one is on the ground to see illegal loggers
forest reserves and bio islands- what is it?
-areas protected from exploitation
-methods of managing the rainforest sustainability creates pockets of the rainforest as sanctuaries for species
advantages of forest reserves and bio islands
-protects small areas
-smaller areas easier to police and manage
disadvantages of forest reserves and bio islands
-smaller areas may not be able to sustain all of the biodiversity of the surrounding area
oxen drawn carts- what is it?
can be used to move timber within the rainforest
advantages of oxen drawn carts
-cause less damage than heavy machinery, which often require roads and large amounts of felling to provide sufficient access
-do not compact soil which allows faster regrowth
disadvantages of oxen drawn carts
-can not pull the same weight as machinery
strip felling- what is it?
involves harvesting the trees of an area 50m wide, allows natural regeneration of the rainforest which means it’s sustainable alternative to felling trees on massscale
advantages of strip felling
-good to keep biodiversity
-rainforest will regenerate quickly
-animals can help regenerate forests by moving seeds
disadvantages of strip felling
-increases soil erosion (more rain)
-causes inefficient logging
education- what is it?
-ensuring those in exploitation and management of the forest understand the consequences behind their actions
advantages of education
-can be passed on through generations
-involves the local people
disadvantages of education
-costly
ecotourism- what is it?
-tourism centered on nature, people can make money from the rainforest without destroying it
-tourists hire local guides t learn about the rainforest and journey upriver where they visit remote villages
advantages of ecotourism
-makes people from all over the world aware of the issues to d with deforestation
disadvantages of ecotourism
-increased visitor numbers put pressure on the environment and resources within rainforests
