DeforestationThis is the large scale clearance of TRF.

Deforestation is not just chopping some trees down, it is where huge areas have been completely cleared.

Road building

Industry

HEP

Housing

Mining

Ranching

Reasons For

Deforestation

• Ranching – large areas are cleared for farmers to keep cattle on. McDonald’s use the beef from Brazil’s rainforest in their burgers.

• Mining – the rainforest hides very valuable resources of gold, diamonds, aluminium, oil and coal. The trees need to be cleared in order to get to them.

• Housing – Brazil has huge ‘shanty’ towns which have no electricity or running water. The govt thought it would be a good idea to use the TRF as space for new houses.

• HEP (hydro-electric power) – Brazil receives a lot of its electricity from damming the rivers in the country. This takes up large areas of forest.

• Industry – large areas of the TRF have been cleared to make way for factories. This is ideal space for building large factories with good access.

• Road building – the Trans Amazonia Highway is one of the longest roads in the world. It is 9600km long (about 6500 miles).

Problems with deforestation• Soil erosion – as the soil becomes exposed the rain can

wash away the soil layer leaving the land very infertile• Destruction of natural environment – some people

believe that this is the last undiscovered area of the world and we are destroying it

• Medicines – some people believe that there are cures for diseases (e.g. cancer) locked inside the TRF. If we destroy it these will be lost forever.

• The lungs of the world – the TRF takes in CO2 and gives out O2. If we destroy the TRF then there is serious concern that the atmosphere will become too polluted to clean itself – it will be too polluted to recover.

Advantages of deforestationThe money from deforestation can be used for:

– Providing fresh water supplies– Providing a food supply– Increased technology– Transport for imports/exports– Improve industry– Provide electricity– Provide hospitals– Provide houses/building materials– Build schools– Improve the quality of life for all of the

population because the number and quality of facilities are improved

Conservation• Conservation is changing environments

so that they stay longer into the future. It is all about protecting the environment so that future generations can enjoy it.

• Conservation is all about sustainability. This is sustaining things so that they are around for future generations.

• Preservation – this is keeping things exactly the same whether it is ruining things or not.

ConservationConservation is about looking after our

planet. If we don’t it will be spoilt and people will not be able to live.

How can we look after our planet?

Conservation

recycling