DESTRUCTION OF AMAZON RAIN FOREST.   Term Paper ID:18188 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: History background. Ecology of the rain forests. Environmental and social damage.... More...

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Paper Abstract: History background. Ecology of the rain forests. Environmental and social damage. Paper Introduction: Settlers and developers have attempted to exploit South America's Amazon River for over 400 years. However, the last few decades have witnessed the greatest destruction of this extremely fragile ecosystem. The result has been world-wide attention on the river and its rain forest due mainly to the projected environmental consequences of this destructiveness. In fact, many are referring to it as "one of the great tragedies of history." But along with the ecological damage. this devastation also has wreaked economic end social havoc. The purpose of this paper will be to discuss the destruction of the Amazon rain forest and these effects as a result of development and deforestation. In addition, a review of what is being proposed and what is being done to rectify the situation also will be included. Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. "Whose Hands Will Shape the Future of the Amazon'sGreen Mansions?" Smithsonian, November 1989, 58- 74.Serrill, Michael S. The jungle surrounding the river is so dense and filled with so manykinds of life forms it is almost impossible to calculate the number. Dreams of Amazonia. It would also open up the western Amazon forthe first tine to commercial exploitation (Ibid.). It continues to build roads, dam andsettlements with funding from the World Bank and Europe. And, it was during the latter half of the 18th century thatrubber products made by the Indians began to reach the Old World. "Any disturbanceof this process could produce far-reaching, unpredictable effects" (Ibid.). Considered one of the richest undeveloped and untamed regions of theworld, the Amazon also contains vast gold and mineral deposits, oil andgas, hardwoods and cattle ranges. Set against these hardships, the forest continues to burn. The studying of a possible expansion of the areas set aside forthe use of Brazil's 22 , regarding native people (Serrill 67). Designed to prevent rubber products frombecoming brittle in cold weather, this invention opened the door for amultitude of uses and the "gold rush" was on (Stone 73). However, the last few decades havewitnessed the greatest destruction of this extremely fragile ecosystem.The result has been world-wide attention on the river and its rain forestdue mainly to the projected environmental consequences of thisdestructiveness. Eachtree alone may support up to 4 insect forms. For those who live in the jungle, life is hard. Of most concern is that the government'splan for a new road across the western state of Acre to Peru was notstopped. Because of the huge volumesof clouds the rain forest generates, the Amazon system plays a key role inthe way the sun's heat is distributed around the globe. Perhaps the best hope for the forest is the growing recognition thatit is more valuable when left standing than when cut. Further, this biological system exhibits unimaginable survivaltechniques: caterpillars that look like snakes, plants that give off thesmell of rotting meat to attract flies as pollinators, and trees which relyon fish to distribute their seeds when the rivers overflow their banks(Ibid.). Swept over by the periodic land rushes, many tribes have beenforced to move after violent clashes with the new arrivals. As mentioned, the forest houses an incredible number oflifeforms. Scientists and other experts view the Amazon region as a wealth ofuntapped resources. Ignoring past history, the Brazilian government also has renewedattempts to develop the region. Their point isthat the United States, as the largest polluter in the world, has no rightto criticize Brazil. However, thegovernment has not given up. The results were the same as inthe past and most gave up and returned to the cities. This route would provide a link up with the Peruvian highway thatstretches to Lima allowing an outlet for Acre's tropical hardwoods whichare much in demand in Japan. Settlers and developers have attempted to exploit South America'sAmazon River for over 4 years. 2. The tragic part is that whenthese tribes are forced to relocate, they lose an intimate connection builtover generations to the foods and medicines of their traditional land.Jason Clay, director of research for Cultural Survival, an advocacyorganization for the Indians, says: "Move a hunter-gatherer tribe fiftymiles, and they'll starve to death" (Linden 8 ). In many cases the plantsand animals assume "Amazonian" proportions. Most of them are involved in the harvesting ofBrazil nuts as well. 5. "Playing With Fire." Time, 18 September 1989, 76-85.Parfit, Michael. However, this plan was roundly criticized by environmentalist for notbeing strong enough about stopping deforestation and because in Brazil itis easy to get around new laws. However, the pressure mounted has begun to show on the actions andpolicies of the government. Dennis I. Works CitedGolden, Frederic. Dead animals and plantsdecompose rapidly and the resulting nutrients move quickly from the soilback to growing plants. 4. Aircurrents gather up this evaporation into clouds which then return themoisture to the system in torrential rains. To encourage a land rush similar to theAmerican West, the government offered transportation and other incentives.As part of the deal, homesteaders were allowed to keep the land if they"improved" it by cutting down the trees. In 1989, Brazil put into operation anambitious environmental project called "Our Nature." Among the 35 new lawsand decrees included in the plan are: 1. The result wasthat within a few short years Amazon cities grew from little villages tolarge towns and cities. 117).For a few years all went well, and then the crops began to fail and all buta few colonists moved away. Brazil counters that of the"legal Amazon," only five and one-half percent of the forest has beenburned (Ibid.). In the early 197 s it built the Trans-Amazon Highway, a system of roads that run west from the coast at Recifetoward the Peruvian border. If scientists are tobe believed, it could lead to climatic chaos. Bitsof steam float up from the top of the trees as water evaporates off theupper leaves, cooling the trees as they collect the tropical sunlight. Environmentalists around the world are telling Brazil that they cannot be trusted when it comes to the Amazon. thisdevastation also has wreaked economic end social havoc. The entiresystem covers 2.7 million square miles (almost 9 percent of the contiguousUnited States) and reaches into eight countries besides Brazil, includingVenezuela, Peru and Bolivia (Ibid. The government pushed to settle itpartly to prevent neighboring countries and multinational corporations fromtaking the wealth. The forest is so efficient, in fact, that almostno decaying matter makes its way into the river. The purpose ofthis paper will be to discuss the destruction of the Amazon rain forest andthese effects as a result of development and deforestation. New York: Viking Penguin, 1985.----------------------- 9 This has lead to a series of bloody confrontations with theranchers who are responsible for most of the burning. With deforestation continuing, their livelihood isjeopardized. The regulation of production and sale of toxic chemicals usedin and agriculture in the Amazon. Home to the largest rain forest in the world, the Amazon Rivermeanders for nearly 4, miles and delivers an average of 17 billiongallons of water an hour to the Atlantic Ocean (Linden 76). The establishment of a five-year $1 million program to planthe Amazon into zones for agriculture, mining and other uses. But when the trees are cut down in strips, the land dries up. Henry Ford attempted twice, in the 192 s and193 s, to establish rubber empires in the Amazon. Interestin the potential of rubber peaked in the 18 s when the process ofvulcanization was invented. About the same time, this influx of colonists from Europe and otherparts of Brazil also began to raze the virgin forest around Belem at themouth of the Amazon to 3 kilometers to the east. "A Catbird's Seat on Amazon Destruction."Science, 13 October 1989, 2 1-2 2.Linden, Eugene. In fact, many are referring to it as "one of the greattragedies of history." But along with the ecological damage. The effort wasundertaken to build a railroad which was completed in 19 8 and was to allowfor agricultural development through government sponsorship (Ibid. The WorldBank has estimated that as much as 12 percent of the rain forest--598,921kilometers, an area as large as Morocco--has been destroyed by fire andresulting floods since 1978 (Golden 1989). The suspending of raw-timber exports and tax incentivestraditionally given to Amazon cattle ranchers. Mahar, author of the World Bank reports,replies: "What's really important is not whether deforestation is five oreight or twelve percent, but what can be done to halt it" (Ibid.). Tales and samples of strange bouncing balls from South America hadbeen told throughout Europe ever since Christopher Columbus returned fromhis travels. The rubber era ended and the railroad shutdown. Whatever the plan, however, it has become apparent that the people ofthe world along with Brazilians need the Amazon as a functioning system.The Amazon may run through South America but the responsibility for savingthe rain forests belongs to everyone. It is estimated that extinction of a multitude of animalsspecies will be the end-product. Compounding these environmental problems are the on-site ecologicallosses resulting from the destruction of the forest and the social andeconomic damages. The largest South Americancountry, Brazil encompasses about halt the Amazon basin end, according tocritics, has been reckless in its squandering of the area's resources.However, the Brazilian government believes this pressure is unjustifiedmeddling and is an effort by industrialized countries to maintain theireconomic superiority over the developing world (Linden 77). They havesuffered heavy casualties from these conflicts as well as from theintroduction of new diseases such as measles. Instead, it appears to be the environmentalist who, ifthey have their way, will keep Brazil from using end abusing the Amazon asthey see fit. The creation of 7 million acres of new park land. Never a lucrative business except for the bosses, the rubber trappersor "seringueiros" have fought disease, Indians and crocodiles, to name afew of the hardships. However, he quicklyfound out that once the protective canopy of the trees were cut down, therubber tree withered from the effects of direct sun, rain and pests(Ibid.). A recent three-yearstudy showed that the market value of rubber and other exotic productsharvested from the jungle can yield more than twice the income of eithercattle ranching or lumbering (Linden 85). 77). Today, there areanywhere between 7 , and 3 , people, depending on who is counting,all over the Amazon who harvest the latex from wild rubber trees (Parfit61). The mighty Amazon River feeds over1, tributaries and is second in length only to the Nile's 4, miles(Ibid.). The social damages are most visible in the displaced Indianpopulations. 3. Lily pads are known to be morethan three feet across; butterflies have eight-inch wingspans and a fish,such as the pirarucu, can grow to more than seven feet (Ibid.). In addition, areview of what is being proposed and what is being done to rectify thesituation also will be included. Further, the forest stores at a minimum 75 billion tons of carbon inits trees which when burned spews carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.Since air pollution from cars and factories have already put pressure onthe air, the continued burning of the Amazon could magnify what is calledthe "greenhouse effect"-the trapping of heat by atmospheric CO2 (Ibid.).No one knows for sure what the result of this would be, but scientists fearit could begin to warm up the planet, thus bringing about dramatic climaticchanges. The environmental repercussions of this continued development anddestruction of the rain forest could be catastrophic. It also is the home to many Indian tribes and industries--specifically the rubber industry--both of which have been dramaticallyimpacted by the clearing of the forests. "The forest functions like a delicately balanced organism thatrecycles most of its nutrients and much of its moisture" (Linden 78). What was left was called a "ghost landscape." This destruction,visible by the 195 s, was a precursor of the future. "A Dubious Plan for the Amazon." Time, 17 April1989, 67.Stone, Roger D. Ascolonists learned early on, most of the Amazon soil is nutrient poor andnot suited for agriculture. From undiscovered food sources to medicines andchemicals, many believe the forests hold the key to solving a wide range ofhuman problem. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

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