Deforestation in Oceania
( Australia, New Zeland)
Introduction
Deforestation in Oceania is increasing by every passing second. The biggest causes of deforestation are people needs from the forests. To fulfill their needs they cut, burn and destroy trees and forests. Some of the needs are urbanization, paper and etc. There are four aspects of the Australian circumstance are outlines; Ecological, Historical, economic and Political. The increase in Ecological environment decreases the percentage of the landmasses in Australia . The wars in the past have caused a lot of destruction and harm to the natural environment, which has also led to the enlarging of the deforestation in Australia . In Economic the forests for destroy for public lands, water yield, recreation, conservation, mining and grazing. Also, the forests used for the political issue with the rapid growth of an export woodchip industry. These reasons have caused an increase in the deforestation and will keep on expanding it.
Australia and Its Deforestation
Australia is home to more than one million species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. In Australia there is only 85% of flowering plants, 84% of mammals, and more than 45% of birds which are only found in Australia . As much land has been cleared in the last 50 years in Australia as was cleared in the previous 150 years. From the year of 1990, land clearing in Australia adds up to more than half of that which was cleared in Brazil . Land cleared in Australia in 1994 was equal to that which was cleared in the previous five years. The rate of clearance of forest will continue to increase. The rainforests in northern Queensland are still threatened by development and poor plantation, also the Eucalyptus forests of mainland Australia , where logging is the major cause of forest degradation and loss, are being destroyed and replaced by plantations. About 20% of Australia 's known species of flowering plants and trees are endangered, vulnerable, or threatened with extinction.
Ecological Reasons
Australia 's forest land is not large. While the1788, only 9% of the landmass traditionally been called 'forest' in Australia but now it is more than 4 times the landmass in Australia . The destruction of forests is also caused by the dominated species. Also Fire is a major active in Australian forests, with specific adaptations to the system of fire force. The use of fire has been an important tool of native Australian people for some 50,000 years, and fire organization burning continue to be employed across a selection of forests, for human protection motives. The growth of forests is falling and growing on low relief sites with more advantageous soil and moisture. As the competition of agriculture increases the percentage of the forest falls. Also, the clearance of forests led to the removal of the ecosystem, Biodiversity and caused the extinction of many species. The government of Australia has limited the rates of deforestation, but the rates of clearing for agriculture are still going up. More recently, for example, between 1983-93 the yearly rate of forest clearance for agriculture went up from 6,000 and 8,000 ha/yr in Tasmania and Victoria , 11,000, 16,000 and 26,000 ha/yr in South Australia , Northern area and Western Australia , to 150,000 ha/yr in New South Wales and 300,000 in Queensland . The clearance of forest still continues today.
Historical Reasons
Historically, Australia 's rainforests have suffered far more fearful affect than our eucalypt forests. The clearing of rainforests has happened on such a massive scale. 30 percent of the destruction that happens to the forest is caused by the violence, wars and other historical reasons in Australia . A number of major changes in forest development and management rules take place with Australian occupation of the continent. Those changes are over-cutting, Biodiversity and climate change, clearance for agriculture and for urbanization. As more violence and wars from the past repeat the more harm it will do to the forest and the nature.
Economic Reasons
The main uses of forests on public lands are wood extraction, water yield, recreation, conservation, mining and grazing. They also used for the produced people uses in their everyday life Ex. paper, wood, and other stuff. There are around 1126 hardwood mills and 265 softwood mills, 22 pulp and paper mills, and 18 panel board mills. Australia produces about 85% of its sawn timber needs obtaining 34% of the native forests and 66% from softwood plantations, and is a clear exporter of wood-based panels with 96% of production sources from plantations. The exportation is expected to increase double then before. It reached at least 70% by the year 2005. That will increase the production and also increase in the deforestation in Australia .
Political Reasons
Forests became a major national policy issue in the 1970s with the fast growth of an export woodchip industry. Unlike in developing countries, Australian farmers do not need to clear private forests to feed themselves and their families. Another political issue that leads to deforestation is war because whenever there is a war it always causes destruction which includes the deforestation.
Causes and Effects of Deforestation
Underlying causes (the reasons why proximate causes operate) such as landlessness and connected demands for crop land, poor economic condition driving the use of forest lands, questionable understanding of the impacts of fire.
Proximate causes
Public production forests:
- overcutting for logs and woodchips
- ecological simplification (of tree cohort, and non-timber species)
- impacts of roading
- imposed fire regimes
- grazing by introduced livestock
- impacts of exotic species (weeds and pest fauna)
Public conservation areas:
- non-workable areas
- impacts of exotic species
- recreational impact
- modified fire regimes
Private production forests:
- overcutting, clearing
- too short rotations
- ecological simplification
- grazing by introduced livestock
- firewood harvesting
- modified fire regimes
- other uses (e.g.. grazing)
Woodlands (private or leasehold):
- clearing for agriculture
- grazing
- timber extraction (utility)
- firewood harvesting
- exotic species
- modified fire regimes
Underlying causes
The causes appear particular important in the Australian circumstances with the maintenance of biophysical values. These underlying causes are
Logging
Logging involves the removal process of trees from the forest. It is carried out for industrial purposes; it involves large-scale operations and becomes one of the main causes of Oceania deforestation. It is also a major threat to Oceania 's remaining old growth forests, where the most rare and valuable species are selected. Logging in Oceania is carried out for many purposes. Some of those reasons why logging is carried out are for agriculture and urbanization and many others. It also leads to the destruction of forests and increase in deforestation. Usually the clearance leads to the extinction many species but all causes mutation which leads to discovery of new species.
Biodiversity
The Australian government lost the control over clearance on private land and also some of the forests. Biodiversity includes the ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity. The major threat to is removal, e.g., clearing of native vegetation for agriculture, urban development, mining, impacts on the wild animal and other organism. In Australia many animals and plants have become extinct ( 17 mammals, three birds, one lizard and Northfolk island Abutilon). If the Biodiversity goes up any more, this can lead to the extinction of some important species which the world needs the most.
Land clearing
According deforestation report thousands of Australia 's animals, plants and birds are facing extinction these years. Land clearance involves the destruction of Australia 's native vegetation and habitats, including the bulldozing of native bush lands, forests, savannah woodlands (a grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees) and native grasslands and the flowing away of natural wetlands.
Carbon release
As more and more forest removal occurs the rate of carbon dioxide will increase and rate of oxygen will decrease. If there is all carbon in the atmosphere and less oxygen may lead to the extinction of the autotrophs and there will be no life. The life cycle on earth depends on the forest and the balance in nature. In the 1990's Australia had 20% of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere out of the natural gases like Oxygen and nitrogen and etc. After ten year the rate of Carbon dioxide doubled and will keep on increasing until there is no other air left.
Balance of trade
Trade also plays an important part in the deforestation of Australia . The Australian wood industries, mills and etc., have more export of the woodchips then reliance on low value of import. It also led to the extinction of timber because those were an important part of the trade.
Tasmania
Tasmania is an island of Australia located in the southern eastern. Tasmania is one of the most important and attractive part of Australia . Tasmania is gifted with an environment filled with wealthy natural resources, but also it is cursed with it as well. Tasmania is the mainland where most of the Australian deforestation takes place. In every passing day the rate of deforestation enlarges by 0.10. There are many reasons the leads to deforestation in Tasmania . One of those problems is logging, we all know that there is a big need of wood in Australia . Another reason of deforestation in Tasmania is fire bombing which include burning of forests, animal and ecosystem. The reasons of fire and bombing the forests are wars, and other violence activities. One of the most important causes for deforestation is population increase because people are moving from rural area to urban area and lead to the urban area enlargement direct to the cut down, burn and destroying of forests. In Tasmania many animals like birds has lost their homes due to logging, wildfire and other deforestation causes. In Tasmania the growth of deforestation has also caused a growth in carbon dioxide which grow by 1.47 per year. In Tasmania the biodiversity is threatened by people's need which has led to the decrease of forest and led to the extinction some species. More than 600 species of plant and animal are listed on the schedules of Tasmania 's Threatened Species Protection Act 1995, with new species being added to the list regularly. Tasmania is a beautiful island and have a tip-top environment from its forests and species, but the deforestation has broken the balance in the nature. |
