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Deforestation Dominos

Trees are coming down for numerous reasons. Agriculture, population growth, demand for fuel wood, governmental policies that undervalue our natural resources, logging, road building and even cattle ranching, each have a role in deforestation (Collins). With deforestation, come unanticipated consequences. It can make the smallest amount of damage more severe, especially if a natural disaster were to occur. An example, in Honduras, is mudslides in hurricane Mitch in October of 1998. Deforestation has even been blamed for forest fires. It allows sunlight to hit the dry leaves on the forest floor that are easily ignited. Yes, there are no randomly scattered magnifying glasses to be blamed. It really is that simple for forest fires to start. In addition, deforestation can lead to a higher climate. Changing climate eventually allows for more politicians… I mean pests. To take care of those problems, we use pesticides and other methods to keep them under control before they control us. Furthermore, to add on to this growing misfortune, chemical contamination will come in and take care of the disease end product of deforestation ("Anticipating Environmental 'Surprise'" 22-23). Shall I define synergy? Well I already did.

Between the years 1970 and 2000, Honduras went through a lot, not just a hurricane. Looking back on their misfortune, we see that problems happening in our environment can resemble the “Domino Effect.” In Honduras it started out as a simple agricultural boom, went to a hotter, drier climate and eventually an increase in the number of cases of Malaria. First off, you must understand that an increase in farming can put a strain on soil. To get to the richer and more fertile soil, trees were removed, but the intense agriculture continued. This lowers the soil’s ability to absorb and take in water, in turn producing more run off water. When the time comes, there is little moisture remaining to be evaporated from the soil back into the atmosphere. Dry air equals fewer clouds. Fewer clouds make fewer rainstorms and precipitation. Pretty soon there are droughts and an incline in the temperature for that region. Between 1972 and 1990, there was a mean average temperature increase of 7.5 degrees Fahrenheit ("Anticipating Environmental 'Surprise'" 22-23). Wow is right. Secondly, the deforestation of the country promoted stagnant water when the soil’s absorbing capabilities had started to decline. These waters are perfect breeding grounds for diseases such as cholera and dengue fever. They are also perfect conditions for our little mosquito friends to make babies. Now, you must know that pesticides can only be a temporary source of insect repellant. Before long they can adapt and become resistant to the pesticide. I hope you guessed that in Honduras, the mosquitoes developed immunity to the chemicals. This made it even harder for the humans to keep them under control. An increase in the number of malaria carrying mosquitoes and an already high human population [due to the agricultural boom], malaria cases rapidly increased in the country from 20,000 to 90,000 cases in just six years. That’s quite a bit. One last lesson to be learned is that the soil itself can be weakened from over farming. When topsoil is depleted, the loose soil underneath is exposed and vulnerable to harsh rains and floods. Thus, mudslides are imminent. In 1998, Honduras was an inopportune example when Hurricane Mitch crashed into the Gulf coast of Central America and caused all sorts of chaos for four days. Dreadful mudslides ruined entire villages, half of the population was relocated and the country lost 95% of its agricultural production. When we look back, we see that it could have been avoided if forests had been holding down the soil on those hills ("Anticipating Environmental 'Surprise'" 22-23). Honduras is one big box of dominoes, and it came crashing down.

What Are We Gonna Do With Us?

Then there are the places in the world where the world has just been so stupid in reasons for taking down trees. For these stupid reasons, the actuality that deforestation has other serious effects on larger scales comes light, on top of another reality that it’s not only harming the environment but us too. We came up with the idea of using chemicals to eradicate entire forests, a chemical called Agent Orange. Basically, Agent Orange is Herbicidal Warfare. This herbicide was used by the US Military during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. They released toxic chemicals, dioxins that have created numerous health problems for those exposed to it. Included are cancer and genetic disorders. Why was it used? Well, the enemy Vietcong used the forests and trees to hide themselves as well as their weapons. It was the US's bright idea to wipe out all of the vegetation to expose them. About 20 million gallons were used. So, as an end result, more of Earth's valuable resources were gutted, and many people, and their children, were harmed and continue to suffer from the effects (United States Department of Veteran Affairs). They include chronic health problems such as Hodgkin disease, reproductive problems like spina bifida and miscarriages, soft-tissue sarcoma, liver damage, neurotoxicity, many birth defects and skin defects (Booker A117). It's pretty severe.

Oh, and then there was the time a whole island was wiped clean of its trees. That island is known as Easter Island, located in the Pacific Ocean. There are large statues located on the island and it is believed that the trees were depleted during the building of them by the ancient Eastern Islanders. For now it is settled that that is the cause for this Tragedy of the Commons, the depletion of potentially renewable resources to which people have free access (Tragedy of the Commons - Wikipedia). On Easter Island, the entire forest is gone and all of the shrubs and trees are extinct, along with the animals it was home to. We have to realize that there are other beings in the world that deforestation affects, not just people.

Close Up: Pandas vs. Deforestation

Many, many animals call forests homes, such as the endangered Giant Panda. The Giant Panda can be found in biologically rich, lush temperate and calm forests. The forests are thriving with many different types of bamboo. Although these adorable, but not huggable animals are considered carnivores, their diet consists mainly of bamboo, thirty different species to be exact. Some eat up to 83 pounds a day, so it’s obvious that bamboo is crucial to their survival (Animal Bytes: Giant Panda). Pandas are not fond of humans or noise, so as we invade their space and homes by destroying forests, they move to look or more desirable locations to live. Urbanization, fragmentation and deforestation continue to destroy and obliterate their natural habitat, and they cannot keep moving forever if Earth’s forests are disappearing faster than we think (Lewin). Firewood, timber and cultivation are on our minds and all they have is bamboo on theirs. As bamboo begins to die of, so do the pandas. Poachers and hunters can easily target pandas now that their habitats have been fragmented. Inbreeding in these small populations becomes more frequent and causes diseases and deformities. Diseases are effortlessly spread in these smaller spaces.