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Papua New Guinea deforestation at critical level

papua-new-guinea-deforestation-at-critical-level

More than half trees in Papua New Guinea could be lost by 2021, according to a new satellite study of the region. The University of Papua New Guinea and the Australian National University conducted the stady that  found that deforestation is much more widespread than was previously thought, even in so-called conservation areas. Papua New Guinea (PNG) has the world’s third largest tropical forest, but it was being cleared or degraded at a rate of 362,000 hectares (895,000 acres) a year in 2001, the report said. The destruction will drive global warming, because tropical forests are an important store of carbon.

 “The unfortunate reality is that forests in Papua New Guinea are being logged repeatedly and wastefully with little regard for the environmental consequences and with at least the passive complicity of government authorities.” Phil Shearman, lead author of the study

The researchers compared satellite images taken over three decades from the early 1970s. In 1972, the country had 38m hectares (94m acres), of rainforest covering 82% of the country. About 15% of that was cleared by 2002.

PNG was a founder of the Rainforest Coalition, a group of tropical nations that say rich countries should pay them to protect their forests as a way of tackling climate change. But the new study suggests many of the vulnerable trees could be removed by the time such an agreement is in place.

Belden Namah, PNG forests minister, said the government was already taking steps to review its logging policies: “There’s a need for rapid action to replace trees that have been cut. And I believe for every tree that has been cut, we should plant three more new trees. That is one major policy I am looking at.” The country earns US$176m (£89m) from commercial logging each year.

The report said deforestation was occurring at the same rate in protected and unprotected areas and justified a significant reduction in logging in Papua New Guinea. Any new forestry programmes should involve small and medium-scale, locally-owned and managed operations where commercial activities are more likely to be environmentally sustainable, it said.

What are the impacts of deforestation?

  • Loss of biodiversity
    Species lose their habitat, or can no longer subsist in the small fragments of forests that are left. Populations dwindle, and eventually some can become extinct. Because of the high degree of endemism, or presence of species that are only found within a specific geographical range, even localized deforestation can result in loss of species.
  • Habitat degradation
    New roads that provide access to settlers and loggers into the Forests of New Guinea can cause widespread fragmentation of rainforests. These fragmented landscapes cannot support wildlife the same way intact habitats do, the microclimate may be affected, and the area may be more vulnerable to droughts and fires.
  • Modified climate
    Reduced forest means less carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed by trees, which accumulates in the atmosphere as a result of pollution. At the same time, there may be an increased presence of CO2 if trees are being burnt.
  • Loss of water cycling
    Deforestation reduces the critical water cycling services provided by trees. When rainfall reduction is added to the natural variability that characterizes rainfall in the region, the resulting droughts may have major environmental impacts. (Source:WWF)

Deforestation in Papua New Guinea: Potential Impact on Health Care

Forests of New Guinea – About Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea: Environmental Profile 

Underlying Causes of DeforestationPapua New Guinea

 

 

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5 Comments

  1. Lets be responsible by looking our environment and resources that surrounds us because that our life our home. Think globally and act locally. thank you

  2. I hope humanity gets its act together soon, for this may be our last chance to hold on the remainder of our great wildernesses, Id rather let humanity go into extinction, than allow us to destroy the planets biodiversity, every year as spring arrives and sun becomes higher in the sky the conifers renourish the oxegen levels of the entire planet,this belt of green has as much trees as in all the rainforests of the world combined.. And in regards to the rainforests of the tropics, If we lose these forests in particular not only will we lose so many species of birds, reptiles & amphibians, mammals & primates, insects, arachnids, molluscs & crustaceans, fungi, bacteria, viruses, flowering plants, ferns, worts, mosses, kelp, archaea microbes and bacteria of such vast diversity of which less than 2% has yet been studied, but it would lead to the deserts expanding until we can never recover, our ecosystem has only survived and developed so much complexity by working together. Our civilization has become so successful that we've become the makers of new worlds, we should be reaching for the stars, developing the tools to build new worlds and ecosystems among the skies, not destroying our great home planets!!

    1. What is mentioned in here is undeniably true and we should all consider our actions towards the forests and its inhabitant.

      Whats more convince here is the words used here. Credit to the author.

  3. It is perfect time to make a few plans for the long run and it is time to be happy. I have read this post and if I could I wish to counsel you some interesting issues or suggestions. Maybe you could write next articles referring to this article. I wish to read more things about it!

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