Our World

Deforestation is the clearance of naturally occuring forests by the processes of logging and/or burning of trees in a forested area.

Reasons why deforestation occurs:

• Rapid population growth in the 1960s increased demand for farming and
settlement land or building houses (2 million in 1960 and about 30 million in
2004).
• Governments operating large Economic Development Schemes such as
plantations, factories and mines encouraged Deforestation for their
establishment. This also brought pride to the country or international prestige.
• Exploiting the forests for the sale of timber was seen as a way of reducing the
country’s national debt.
• Road construction through the forest made the rainforest accessible thereby
allowing transportation or movement of timber, minerals or farm produce from
the forest to different parts of the country.
• Allocation of land to poor peasant farmers for small scale farming all over Brazil
led to Deforestation.
• Commercial cattle ranching introduced by large trans-national companies
replaced trees with grass by burning the trees. Today cattle ranches occupy
about 25% of Amazon forest.
• High demand for hardwoods such as ebony and mahogany by More Economically
Developed Countries (MEDCs), has led to Deforestation to earn forex for Brazil.
• Amazon forest is rich in minerals such as iron ore, bauxite, manganese,
diamonds, silver and gold. Mining companies have cleared the forests, to build
roads and railways through the forest.
• Rainforest has plenty of water and suitable sites for hydroelectricity power. Dam
construction to use the water involves cutting down trees.