Human Impacts on the Rainforest-Past and Present Directions: For each time frame

Question

Human Impacts on the Rainforest-Past and Present Directions: For each time frame below, provide the amount of trees per acre and rate of destruction (or improvement if that is the case). Fill in the remaining portions of the chart. For maximum points, include detailed information, include units, and include citations. Congo Rainforest 20 Years Ago 10 Years Ago Present Condition Reasons for decline (ex: agriculture, logging, mining, ranching, urbanization, etc.) Animals affected by deforestation and current plans to improve numbers. Now that you are aware of the issues, what are some things you can do as a consumer to help preserve the rainforest? Provide at least two examples and use complete sentences. What are two ways you can help raise awareness for a species that has become endangered due to deforestation? Use complete sentences.

Explanation / Answer

Congo rainforest is among the largest rainforest with an total area of approximately 1.5 million square miles. After the Amazon it is the world's second largest rainforest. Most of the area of Congo forest lies in democratic republic of Congo. These rainforests are home to 300 reptile species, 200 amphibian species, 450 mammal species and more than 1000 bird species and 600 tree species. Gorillas, black colobus monkeys, okapi and African forest elephant , chimpanzees, hippos, lions, leopard are the notable species.

Since 1999-2000 there has been loss of 721 (in 1000 hectares/year) in the Congo basin. The deforestation in the past 20 years is due to clearing of forest for charcoal and fuelwood, small scale subsidence agriculture, mining and urban expansion. Industrial logging is the biggest cause of deforestation in the area. From 2000-2010 there has been loss of 706( in 1000 hectares/year) in the forest cover of Congo basin. In the past decades, commercial hunting, poaching and clearing of land for agriculture is the biggest cause of deforestation in the area. Due to this 60% of the elephant population has reduced in these forests in less than a decade. At present the main causes of deforestation are the slash and burn farming techniques in which the forest land is converted into agricultural land, logging roads which promote urban expansion in these forests, cutting of forests for fuel wood, charcoal, palm oil, rubber, sugar production.

There should be a combined effort of both communities and the government in the direction of conservation of these forests. There should be strict policies regarding the illegal logging of the forests wood. Also construction should be banned in the nearby areas.

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