Deforestation in the Amazon:

The process of removing an area of forest for a non-forest use

by Avery Loya

Thesis Statement:

Although there are some positive aspects of deforestation in the Amazon, the negatives are more significant than the positives.

Positive Impact of Deforestation:

Stimulates immediate, short term economic growth in Brazil:

Brazil has been able to temporarily develop more as a result of deforestation. Deforestation has contributed to an increased level of technology and social welfare. An example of this is with their agriculture. Deforestation allows for more farming, which leads to a better overall economy, as well as a decrease in dependency on other countries for food.

Positive Impact of Deforestation:

Increases production of resources:

When the Amazon is deforested, some of the trees that have been cut down are used for wood. A popular use of the trees is to make hardwood. Hardwood production is an important industry not only for the Brazilian economy, but also as a resource for the people within the country.

Positive Impact of Deforestation:

Creates new space for development:

Brazil is a country that is trying to develop; but they need room to do that. New space created by deforestation makes room for new housing developments, towns/urban areas, major highways, factories, and things that take up a lot of space that are essential for development.

Negative Impact of Deforestation:

Dangerous and Extreme Loss of Forests:

Deforestation could be simply described as the loss of forests, but that in itself is a negative impact on the environment. The Amazon Rainforest is a very important part of Brazils ecosystem, so it hurts the overall environment a lot when it is deforested. Also, at the current rate of deforestation, the entire Amazon could cease to exist within the next 100 years.

Negative Impact of Deforestation:

Extinction of Species:

The Amazon Rainforest is home to 30% of all of the plant and animal species on earth. Deforestation often destroys the habitats for many of these species, which in turn makes them die. An example of this is the Glaucous Macaw, which is a bird that used to live in the Rainforest, but is now extinct. This is the main negative impact of deforestation- the effect on the overall regional ecology.

Negative Impact of Deforestation:

Long-Term Negative Economic Effect:

Though deforesting the Amazon may give them an economic boost in the short-term, in the long run it will hurt them. They will lose many of their resources and run into many environmental problems if the current rate of deforestation continues. Also, these forests and ecosystems take hundreds and hundreds of years to grow and flourish, but only weeks to cut down and destroy. An example of the long-term negative economic effect of deforestation is in Thailand, where they had a lot of tropical forest area, which they cut down for industrial purposes. It gave them an economic boom for about a decade, and then they ran out of resources, are dependent on other countries, and are facing serious and tragic environmental repercussions of their previous actions- the deforestation that happened in the 20th century now contributes to the terrible floods that are going on now.

Conclusion

Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest is an example of how humans can negatively impact the biosphere- the effects of deforestation are almost all negative. Human settlement and development of the land are the two main reasons for deforestation in the Amazon. Deforestation is a very serious problem facing the Amazon Rainforest. It can bring about long-term economic downfall, extinction of many unique species, and even the disappearance of the entire forest.

My Recommendation

I would recommend that Brazil stops deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest by making strict and enforced laws against deforestation. I would also recommend that they do all that they can to restore parts of the rainforest that have already been deforested, and to try to recover from the ecological damage that has already been done.