The Tropical Rainforest
LO: To recap what has been done to
the rainforest and explain
management solutions
The tropical rainforest in Malaysia
• Over 70% of the Malay peninsular is still
covered in trees- includes rainforests and tree
crops such as palm oil and rubber
• However estimates suggest that the rainforest
area could decrease by more than half (down
to 25%) by 2020 at present rates of
destruction
The Malaysian Rainforest- use by
indegenous tribes
For centuries tribes such as the
Penan have inhabited the Borneo
Rainforest. They hunt for animals
and clear small patches of forests
to grow crops- slash and burn.
The clearing is small and after 2
or 3 years it is abandoned and
the forest again develops. The
Indians do no long term damage
to the forest.
Other uses of the rainforest
• During colonial times extensive areas of forest
were cleared and replanted with rubber treesthe plantations were owned by large TNCs e.g.
Dunlop
• Since them, due to a large increase in demand
for palm oil areas of lowland forest have been
converted to palm oil plantations- Malaysia is
now the worlds major importer of palm oil.
Development and Deforestation
• Before the 1970s there was little deforestation in
Malaysia- most of the population lived in small,
self contained villages and there was little urban
or industrial growth
• Malaysia has now become an NIC and the
government is working towards becoming ‘fully
developed’ by 2020-New land is needed to house
and feed the growing population of Malaysia
Why is sustainable development of the
TRF a good idea?
Sustainable forestry in Malaysia
• Ensuring logging companies only use selective
cutting methods- e.g. only a certain number of
tree per hectare.
Solutions continued
• Restricting the use of bulldozers
• Increasing the number of National parks
• Helilogging- removing wood via helicopters
Complete question 4e page 242 Wider World
Carbon credits
LIC’s can set aside some of their forest and receive carbon
credits.
Industrialised countries can then buy these credits off the
country and in this way the developing country earns
money from its forest.
The largest carbon credit project in the world is in Bolivia.
The project is based in the Noel Kempff National Park
which is an area of 1.5m hectares and has been an
UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000. Bolivia has
received £25m by selling the carbon credits of this
area. The money has gone straight to the communities
who live in the areas as compensation. This means that
they are no longer dependent upon logging and
destroying the forest to farm to earn a living.
Exam question time!!!!
Explain the management initiatives used in
rainforest areas where resources have been
extracted. Use examples within your answer
(6)