Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
41
A. Are tropical rainforests disappearing at a
faster rate in recent time?
1. Study the following information (including some newspaper headlines and Figure
6) about the situation of tropical rainforests.
(Source: Exploring the Tropical Rainforests—Causes of Destruction
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/rforest/explore/dest.htm)
(Source: Learning about Rainforests—Interesting facts on rainforests
http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/rainforest/Edit560s6/www/facts.html)
(Source: New Scientist Digital—Logging threat to Amazon much greater than thought
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/earth/dn8189)
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
42
Area of tropical
rainforests in the world
(millions of acres)
Changing area of tropical rainforests in the world
3000
2000
1000
0
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030
Year
Figure 6
Changing area of tropical rainforests in the world
a) Describe the rates of change in the area of the tropical rainforests in the
world.
b) Why do the tropical rainforests change in such ways? What evidence from the
above information can be used to illustrate this?
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
43
B. What are the causes for such situation?
1. Look at Figure 7 below.
Cheese
Beef
Lettuce
Figure 7
A hamburger.
a) Do you love hamburgers? Why?
b) One of the ingredients of hamburgers is coming from the tropical rainforests.
i) What is that ingredient?
ii) Is the production of it common in the tropical rainforests? What is the
name of this kind of human activity?
iii) Why do fast food restaurants prefer to buy the ingredient coming from
the tropical rainforests?
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
c)
44
Some green organizations believe that the above-mentioned human activity
is destructive to the ecosystem of tropical rainforests. On behalf of these
organizations, design and draw a poster to show how the production of a
hamburger is responsible for the disappearance of tropical rainforests in
South America.
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
45
2. a) Table 6 shows a few products that are produced from natural resources of
tropical rainforests (TRF). What kinds of resources from the TRF are used to
produce them? Write your answers in Table 6.
Picture
Table 6
Type (s) of
Put a () if you
Total number of
TRF resources being used
have owed this
students in a class
product
owing the product
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
46
b) Check whether you / your family members have such products or not.
Complete the third column of Table 6.
c) Are those products popular among your classmates? Check with your
classmates and fill in the number of classmates having the products in Table
6.
d) Discuss with your classmates the relationship between the use of the above
products and disappearing tropical rainforests. Jot down some main points in
the space below.
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
3.
47
a) Based on the information in Part IV and the following websites, name the
major types of human activity that causes tropical rainforest destruction in the
first column of Table 7.

Exploring the Tropical Rainforest—Causes of Destruction
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/rforest/explore/dest.htm


The Rainforests: IV. Destruction of the Rainforest
http://www.davesite.com/rainforests/review4.shtml
New Scientist Digital—Logging theat to Amazon much greater than thought
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/earth/dn8189
Type of Human
Destruction in TRF
____________________
____________________
Details
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
Type of Human
48
Details
Destruction in TRF
____________________
______________________
Gold
______________________
Table 7 Types of human destruction in the tropical rainforests.
b) With reference to the above websites and some other websites/books you
found, explain how these activities lead to the destruction of tropical
rainforests in the second column of Table 7.
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
49
4.
(Source: The Rainforests: IV. Destruction of the Rainforest
http://www.davesite.com/rainforests/review4.shtml)
a) Based on the above information, describe the trend of population growth in
the world, especially in the tropical rainforest countries.
b)
How does population growth lead to tropical rainforest destruction?
c)
Besides population growth, suggest some other reasons for tropical
rainforest destruction.
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
50
A. What is the impact of large-scale deforestation in tropical
rainforests on atmosphere, biosphere and lithosphere?
1. As you have learnt in Part IV, various human activities in tropical rainforests
accelerate the deforestation problem. What is the impact of large scale
deforestation in the tropical rainforests?
a) Study the information in the following websites and books. Besides, try to
find more information about the importance of tropical rainforests and the
impact of deforestation on them from the Internet and the library.

Tropical Rainforest Coalition—Why Care?
http://www.rainforest.org/whycare.html

The Rainforests: II. Importances of the Rainforests
http://www.davesite.com/rainforests/review2.shtml

Park, C.C. (1992). Tropical Rainforests. London: Routledge.
b)
Based on the information you have, classify the impact of deforestation in
tropical rainforest regions into three types—on atmosphere, biosphere and
lithosphere in Table 8.
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
Impact of
deforestation
in tropical
rainforests
Details
Impact on
the local
area
()
51
Impact on
the whole
world
()
On
atmosphere
On biosphere
On
lithosphere
Table 8
Impact of large-scale deforestation in tropical rainforests on the atmosphere,
biosphere and lithosphere
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
52
B. How does deforestation in tropical rainforest regions
affect different stakeholders?
1. Role Play:
Many green organizations oppose tree-cutting in tropical rainforest because this will
greatly affect the atmosphere, biosphere and lithosphere at both local and global
scales. However, cutting of trees for various human activities has different meanings
to different stakeholders. Through this role play, you can understand that deforestation
and its relevant economic activities are beneficial to some stakeholders (i.e. positive
impact) but detrimental to others (i.e. negative impact).
a) Understand the standpoints of various stakeholders below.
We want to keep our lifestyles! The forests are
our valuable assets. They belong to us. Large
scale cutting of trees for various commercial
activities will destroy our homes. Deforestation
also causes serious soil erosion which greatly
affect our harvests from shifting agriculture.
Native people in tropical rainforests
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
53
We can find 90% of primates, 80% of insects and more
than 150 thousand known plant species in the tropical
rainforests. Massive deforestation in rainforest regions
causes great damage to the ecosystem.
Deforestation also affects the amount of carbon dioxide
and oxygen in our atmosphere. We believe that such
massive deforestation is an important cause of enhanced
greenhouse effect and global warming.
Environmentalists
We support the development of the rainforests for
various commercial purposes, such as commercial
logging and plantation agriculture. They provide
jobs to us. You know… without money, we cannot
improve our living standard. There are a lot of trees
in our forests and cutting part of them is not a great
Poor people living in
problem.
tropical rainforests
The development of the rainforests should
be continued. My company pays tax to the
government of the rainforest countries. This
helps them to improve their economies. We
also provide jobs for the inhabitants of the
tropical rainforests and improve their living
The manager of a commercial
standard.
logging company
Our country has a heavy foreign debt burden.
Different types of commercial activities at tropical
rainforests bring us lots of benefits. We need these
for the development of our country.
However, the forests are our valuable assets.
Different stakeholders in my country have
The governor of a country
different opinions on conserving the forests. What
with tropical rainforests
should I do?
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
54
Stop destroying the tropical rainforests!
More than 2,000 anticarcinogenic plants
can
only
be found in
the tropical
rainforests. Cures for AIDS are likely to be
found in some rainforest plants.
An expert on treating AIDS
We live in coastal cities in different parts of the world. Massive
deforestation in tropical rainforest regions causes global
warming which greatly affects our living environment, e.g.
climate and sea level. Polar ice caps are melting and coastal
flooding will be more common.
Besides, deforestation affects the world’s supply of oxygen
because more than 20% of the world’s oxygen is produced by
People in other
the Amazon Rainforest alone.
parts of the world
b)
Collect more information about the impact of deforestation and explain why
different people have different views on massive deforestation in tropical
rainforest regions. Jot down your points in Table 9.
Role
Standpoints
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
Role
55
Standpoints
Table 9
c)
Divide yourselves into several groups, each performing one of the above
roles. Conduct a role play about the impact of deforestation and try to reach
an agreement on massive deforestation in tropical rainforest.
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
d)
56
After the role play, summarise your views about the impact of deforestation
at tropical rainforest regions in about 100 words below.
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
57
A. What can be done to prevent the disappearance of tropical
rainforests?
1.
a)
The following are possible ways of protecting tropical rainforests.
In order to protect the tropical rainforests, commercial logging activities should be
regulated and tropical timber trade should be controlled. Afforestation should be
carried out.
Moreover, national parks and nature reserves should be set up within the rainforest
areas for conservation purposes. By conserving the rainforests in these ways, no
development is allowed in the parks or reserves. The natural habitats and
indigenous peoples in the tropical rainforests can then be preserved.
b)
Browse the Internet or find relevant information from the library about the
details of these measures to complete Table 10.
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
Measure
58
Details
Afforestation
Controlling various
commercial activities,
such as commercial
logging
Setting up national
parks and nature
reserves
Table 10 Measures for protecting the tropical rainforests
c)
After completing Table 10, you will note that most of the measures are at
national level. As a student, what can be done to save the tropical rainforests?
Give your suggestions in the space provided below.
(Hint: Browse the website—‘Rainforest Action Items’
http://studentweb.ncf.edu/EnvironmentalStudies/Rainforest/ractionitems.ht
ml)
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
d)
59
Look at the following two words.
i) Do you know their meanings? Write down what you think.
ii) How are they related to the protection of tropical rainforests? Prepare
your answers with the help of the following websites:





Sustainable Forestry: SmartWood
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/programs/forestry/smartwood/
Vision Paper-A Division of KP Products
http://www.visionpaper.com
Old Growth Alternatives: Rainforest Action Network
http://www.ran.org/ran_campaigns/old_growth/alt_kenaf.html
Kenaf: A Non-wood Paper Alternative
http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/eikena2.htm
Kenaf Paper: An Ecological Alternative
http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/kenafx.htm
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
e)
60
Draw a diagram to list out the major measures for protecting and conserving
tropical rainforests. You should classify the measures into ‘individual level’
and ‘national level’.
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
2.
a)
61
Study the viewpoints of the following stakeholders on the development of
tropical rainforests in Part IV again (P.53).
b)
If you were the governor of a tropical rainforest country, what will be your
final decision (i.e. conserving or developing the tropical rainforests)? Justify
your choice.
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
62
B. Is ‘sustainable development of tropical rainforests’
a possible way out?
Definition
Sustainable tourism development is a kind of
tourism
which
ecosystems
by
aims
at
making
conserving
low
impact
the
on
local
the
environment and local culture on one hand. On the
other hand, income can be generated (including
those for the local people) and employment can be
created.
1. Study the following case study about the development of tropical rainforests.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peru is a country located at the north-western coast of
South America. It includes some famous geographical
features, such as the Amazon Basin and the Andes
Mountain.
The rainforests cover a large area of the north-eastern
part of Peru. Just like the tropical rainforests in other
parts of the world, deforestation of the Peruvian
rainforests
was
also
once
a
great
problem.
Commercial logging, as well asCommercial
many other human activities, was carried out in the
rainforests. Trees were cut down extensively and timber was sold to oversea markets
for huge profits.
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
63
However, these short-term benefits seriously destruct the rainforests which are
valuable assets of a less developed country like Peru. The rainforests should be
protected and used reasonably so that long-term socio-economic benefits can be
generated. Therefore, the Peruvian government decided to establish some national
parks
and
reserves
in
its
rainforest
regions.
The
Reserva
Nacional
Tambopata-Candama (established in 1990) is an example of this. It covers an area of
about 1.5 million hectares and is the habitat for many different species of plants, birds.
mammals, reptiles and fish. The natural environment and the lifestyles of local people
in the Reserva Nacional Tambopata-Candama are then well protected on one hand.
On the other hand, carefully planned tourism activities are still allowed in the
protected area so that extra income can be generated for both the local people and
the government.
This kind of tourism allows small groups of tourists staying in the lodges of rainforests.
Different kinds of activities may be carried out, such as hiking, learning about the
traditional lifestyles of the native people, fishing and visiting local, traditional farms.
Local people in the rainforests are engaged by running the lodges and local Peruvians
are the tour guides.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Further references about the Peruvian tropical rainforest
and sustainable tourism development:

Newman, R. (2002). Sustainable tourism in the Peruvian tropical rainforest, in Teaching
Geography, Vol.27, No.1.

Rainforest Expeditions: Quality Ecotours and Scientic Research since 1992
(http://www.perunature.com/aboutus.php)

Sustainable Tourism (http://www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/eco-tour.html)

Sustainable Tourism Home Page—UNEP Tourism Programme
(http://www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/sust-tourism/home.htm)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2.
a)
b)
Where is Peru? With the help of an atlas, label it on Figure 8.
On the map, shade in green the area of tropical rainforests in South
America.
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
Figure 8
64
Location of Peru and its tropical rainforests.
3. Do you think the kind of tourism mentioned in the case study is an example of
sustainable development in rainforest regions? Why?
Disappearing Green Canopy—Who should pay for the massive deforestation in rainforest regions?
4.
65
Do you think ‘sustainable development’ is a possible way to compromise
between development and conservation of tropical rainforest regions? Why?
(Hint: Useful information may be found in the case study on P.62-63 and other
Internet resources)