Forest degradation

Forest Degradation:

Forest degradation started to bring concerns as the selective logging and fire damage that was not usually accounted in deforestation studies, since it doesn’t entirely destroys the area but rather partially or selective destroys it (Schardt et al, 2013). The practices also have emission of gases as a consequence, as it consists in forest disturbance such as gaps, logging roads and skid trails. The REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, aims to includes the idea of having the emissions of gases that come from deforestation and environmental degradation in the total rate of emissions (Schroeder 318). In the Global Canopy Program, the argument consists in saying that tropical forests are the responsible for stabilizing the climate on Earth through the threes, and the efforts to keep them up should be an responsibility of everyone in the world.

The difference between deforestation and forest degradation can be seen in the Food and Agriculture Organization, deforestation is “a decrease in the area covered by forest”, as degradation doesn’t necessarily involves this decrease, but rather a “quality decrease in its condition”, or interaction between components of the ecosystem, and are more locally described than globally, as it can differ a lot between places. It is not easy to find a general literature in forest degradation, and its consequences can be overlooked in the global scenario due to this fact, but we should pay attention on it since it can bring several consequences and threats to human security.  

The image below shows how forest degradation can be seen.

            A)   Moderate intensity, area is in regeneration after wood extraction.

            B)   High intensity, very high exposure of soil

            C)   Low intensity, roads of access shown.

Forest mapping and image available at www.obt.inpe.br/prodes

Consequences to forest degradation can go from increase in gases emissions to health related issues to the population in the cities. A study done in the epidemic of spotted fever in Brazil, the conclusion was that the fever was a result of forest degradation, and concluding that in places where the parasite has wild animals to feed from, but where the wild animals no longer exist due to forest degradation, the parasite becomes a host in house dogs, bringing the fever to humans, which can be a threat to human security in the area (Ogrzewalska et al, 2012).

Work Cited:

      FAO. Forest Degradation Definitions. Available online: http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/j9345e/ j9345e08.htm (accessed on 14 April 2013)

    Mathias Schardt, et al. "Mapping Tropical Rainforest Canopy Disturbances In 3D By COSMO-Skymed Spotlight Insar-Stereo Data To Detect Areas Of Forest Degradation." Remote Sensing 5.2 (2013): 648-663. Academic Search Complete. Web. 26 Apr. 2013.

    MARIA OGRZEWALSKA, DANILO G. SARAIVA, JONAS MORAES-FILHO, THIAGO F. MARTINS, FRANCISCO B. COSTA, ADRIANO PINTER and MARCELO B. LABRUNA (2012). Epidemiology of Brazilian spotted fever in the Atlantic Forest, state of São Paulo, Brazil. Parasitology, 139, pp 1283-1300.

    FAO. 2001. Global forest resources assessment 2000. Main Report. FAO Forestry Paper 140. Rome. 479 pp.

    GLOBAL CANOPY PROGRAM. The Little REDD Book: A guide to Governmental and non-governmental proposals for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation. 2008. Disponível em: www.the littleREDDbook.org