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Turpin Lit & Lang 11 4 may 2012 Deforestation 100 years ago, 14% of the world was made up of forests, and today that number is only 6%. Society should start to limit the amount of land area that we use and learn to conserve the space that we already have. Mining and logging companies and individual workers can also be considered responsible for the clearance of large areas of forest in some countries. In addition, it has been documented that the loss of forests, wildlife habitat, species populations are due to large dams. While it may certainly seem like a rather insipid thing to be concerned about, the truth is that unless more is done to reduce logging, our society is at risk of depleting our natural resources. Logging is a controversial practice because of the environmental effects that are caused by removing trees from the natural environment. Removing trees reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that is being absorbed from the atmosphere. Excess carbon dioxide is linked with global warming/climate change (Michael Hogan, 11 Nov. 2011). A large portion of logging occurs in old growth forests and rainforests. These habitats are fragile and take many years to re-grow if logging takes place. Forests serve an important role in mitigating climate change by absorbing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in the form of wood and other vegetation. There are many responsible logging companies that replant new trees. Responsible logging is an essential part of providing a sustainable product. Overlogging is not a good thing because it contributes to climate change and global warming by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide that is absorbed by vegetation. Some states have a legal accountability to safeguard the natural trust resources of water and wildlife, but regulations arent strongly enforced enough. Regional water boards and other influential

Powers |2 Departments that are involved in the subject have the responsibility to safeguard resources but actually exert little influence. No county or watershed or statewide management plan for forested land use exists that influences a timber harvesting approval process. Furthermore, penalties for logging without approval are small or nonexistent. At the present moment, it falls upon businesses and concerned private citizens to police these regulations and to object because of endangered species. Landowners can execute unsustainable cuts and personally release large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. (Beyer, Mryka. 25 May 2009). The regulations set forth by states to monitor forestry are just not strictly enforced enough and the general public tends to lean towards a more indolent attitude about enforcing the laws or regulations that are in place.

Mainstream economists still adhere to the goal of yet more growth. (Gowaty, Patricia. 21 Apr. 2010). Sustainability not only protects the health of forests as an ecosystem, but protects the productivity of a resource into the future. Over harvesting of forest resources, on the other hand, creates immediate financial gains but ultimately leads to economic losses. When the forest's carrying capacity (the amount of interruption an ecosystem can sustain and still return to its original conditions) is exceeded and the resource cannot be renewed into the future. Forest resources, like timber, require a

Powers |3 harvesting cycle that maximizes the benefit from extraction but still ensures future harvests. Economic forest harvesting equations, calculate the times and amounts to be harvested to still keep the rate of growth constant into the future. Sustainability is a good thing for the forests and for economies. Environmental protections for forests arent the cause of loss of jobs. Studies have shown that low impact forestry provides more long term jobs and more long term lumber production than high impact forestry does. Studies found that over a 43 year period on a site logged selectively yielded 42% more wood than a clear-cut area, and the value of the standing timber in the selected cut was greater than that standing on the clear cut site. The vast majority of timber job losses and mill closures in 1997 occurred before logging restrictions were made. (Cleveland, Cutler. 23 Aug. 2008). Furthermore, recreation, hunting and fishing in forests contribute vastly more income to the economy, and generate far more jobs, than logging. Low impact, sustainable logging benefits our economy, provides more long term jobs, and improves the well being of endangered species and other wildlife, while high impact logging does just the opposite. Logging is a major anthropogenic source of carbon dioxide emissions, whereas reforestation is a major sink (Michael, Hogan. 17 Jan. 2009). Some may argue that logging is good for the environment because it reduces the chances of forest fires. What happens when we suppress fire is that the trees that normally would burn dont. The forest is thicker and denser than it naturally would be. If a fire breaks out, it gets put out as quickly as possible to minimize damages. For most of the 20th century, the policy toward fire on national forests has been suppression. The problem is that fire is a natural part of the ecosystem. Fire returns nutrients to the soil, it promotes the growth of fire-resistant species, and it creates ecological voids perfect for a new generation of trees to sustain the forest. This explains why some people think logging is a good thing for the environment and economies.

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A major part of forestry is clear cutting in open areas like the area shown in the before/after picture above. Approximately one half of the Earth's mature forests have now been cleared (Gowaty, Patricia. 21 Apr. 2010). One impact of clear cutting is degradation of water supplies because up to 80% of water supplies originate in forested areas. Another major impact of clear cutting is that it causes floods and mudslides. In January 1997, much of Stafford, California was destroyed by a mudslide from a clear cut area above the town. Clear cutting hurts the environment and it also endangers manmade infrastructure that is has already been built in place. Society absolutely needs to change the way we use our resources from the Earth and we must start protecting mother nature from total destruction before its too late, much of life depends on the decisions that we make now. Too much logging is a bad thing because it negatively affects the climate and health of the forests. Environmental protection regulations are not being enforced thoroughly enough to have a big enough effect. Lastly, not conserving the space and infrastructure that we already have is causing lots of land area that could be used for useful purposes to be wasted. As sapient beings, we must make the decision to switch to alternatives and take care of the planet.

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Works Cited Michael, Hogan C."Causes of Deforestation." Encyclopedia of Earth. Web. 17 Jan. 2009. 15 Apr. 2012. <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Causes_of_deforestation>. Cleveland, Cutler L. "Causes of Forest Land Use Change." Encyclopedia of Earth. 23 Aug. 2008. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Causes_of_forest_land_use_change>.
Michael, Hogan C."Deforestation." Encyclopedia of Earth. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. 15 Apr. 2012. <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Deforestation>

Gowaty, Patricia. "Habitat Destruction." National Geographic. 21 Apr. 2010. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. <http://www.netgeo.com/documentary/Habitat_destruction>. Hassenzahl, David J. "Mitigation from Agriculture and Forestry." Encyclopedia of Earth. 7 Jan. 2011. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Mitigation_from_Agriculture_and_Forestry?topic=544 86> Beyer, Mryka H. "Deforestation in Amazonia." Encyclopedia of Earth. 25 May 2009. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Deforestation_in_Amazonia>.