...is deforestation? Deforestation is the removal or damage of vegetation in a forest to the extent that it no longer supports its natural flora and fauna. In other words, deforestation can be defined as the transformation of forest land to non-forest uses where forest land includes lands under agro-forestry and shifting cultivation, and not simply closed canopy primary forests (FAO/UNEP, 1982). However, this definition does not include “logging”. More inclusive was Myers’s 1980 definition, where deforestation refers, “generally to the complete destruction of forest cover through clearing for agriculture … [so] … that not a tree remains, and the land is given over to non-forest purposes … [and where] very heavy and unduly negligent logging … [result in a] … decline of biomass and depletion of ecosystem services … . So severe that the residual forest can no longer qualify as forest in any practical sense of the world.” Alan Graigner (1980, AS quoted in Saxena and Nautiyal, 1997) asserts that selective logging does not “lead to forest clearance and does not constitute deforestation”, whereas Norman Myers (1980, 1993) thinks that logging is crucial because, although it may only affect a small proportion of trees per hectare, it damages wide areas and is the precursor of penetration by the forest farmers. For the purpose of this study, the FAO’s latest definitions (1993) will be used. The FAO defines forests as “ecosystems with a minimum of 10% crown cover of trees and/or bamboo, generally...
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...wood products? Direct forces such as population growth and rising socio-economic levels drive demand for wood and paper products. Increasing purchasing power in developing economies empowers consumers, both private and public, to purchase homes, furnishings and accessories. Indirect factors, such promotion of wood, strengthen demand and translate to significant gains in consumption in some markets. Consciousness of climate change and the advantages of wood for products and energy is creating a new impetus for increasing wood products consumption, including wood-derived energy products. Government and industry policies are important market drivers. Government policies can support increased utilization of wood, or can restrict wood in construction when standards favor competitive building materials. Public procurement policies can be important in this regard. Policies of the wood industry and of companies using wood and paper products, can raise demand, for example through supportive corporate social responsibility programs. Addressed in this paper are a range of products, from wood raw materials to value-added wood products. Included are analyses of sectors involved in primary...
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...ONE: INTRODUCTION Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) serves and represents a new pattern in forestry as forest areas need to be adequately managed. As Young (1982) stated a long time ago, management of the forest for multiple land use is now common. This is due to the encroachment of forest areas and illegal felling in the protected forest areas. This brings about the determination of the use of the forest, forest land and forest products to ensure that the benefits derived today are similarly obtained in the future. Adekunle et al (2013), indicated that since the knowledge of tree growth parameters plus yield is very essential for effective forest management; data for the growth/ yield parameters can be obtained through field inventory by recording diameters and height along the stem or bole of a tree (Tonolli et al, 2011)...
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...Decline in Biodiversity Deanna Garrett ENV497 Chad Goings July 15, 2013 Decline in Biodiversity Biodiversity is important in ecosystems because every life form works together in order for them to function. When these ecosystems are disrupted or altered, or even lacks biodiversity, it poses major threats to all the life forms in it, whether it happens quickly or over a long period of time. When we lack biodiversity, our ecosystems become unstable, which in turn makes them more vulnerable to disasters and they cannot contribute to our well being. Although policy makers may be faced with challenges, many considerations need to be taken into account to preserve biodiversity and to protect these areas so that these ecosystems can function properly and prosper. When we hear the word ‘biodiversity’, it pretty much explains itself. It is the amount of variation of life forms within a given biome, ecosystem, species, or even the entire plant. Many considerations need to be taken into account to preserve biodiversity and to protect these areas so that these ecosystems can function properly and prosper. With respect to the ecosystem and biodiversity, we need to remember that once our natural resources run out and when most ecosystems are destroyed, it is very hard to restore it to what it was. We need to consider our well being, as well as all the other organisms that we share the earth with. We use biodiversity all the time, whether it is direct or indirect. In order for us to...
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...regarding the Amazon Rainforest. Deforestation in simple terms means the felling and clearing of forest cover or tree plantations in order to accommodate agricultural, industrial or urban use. It puts the forest cover to an end just for there to be land available for different purposes. The Amazon Rainforest is 30% of the animals and plants on Earth. These forests are one of the most important things in our world; they are also a main source of oxygen produced by the trees and numerous foods, fibers, as well as possible new medicines for various illnesses and diseases. The Amazon Rainforest’s are facing serious threats the main reason being is for the increasing need of space. Also, there are several other important issues like illegal logging, oil prospecting, slash and burn agriculture, wildlife poaching, mining, overpopulation and city developments. However, there are other serious factors leading to this rapid deforestation and these factors are from the cattle industry’s forced manipulation of peasant farmer land rights, the marginalization of these farmers to the frontier, land speculation is another factor for the deforestation, Brazilian government policies to construct highways, subsidize agriculture, and relocate farmers into the forests which change the ecosystem and its climate pattern. At current rates, which are more than ½ of the Amazon Rainforest, show that the forests may be destroyed or damaged by 2030. This is why the ACA, Amazon Conservation Association,...
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...in the South to dry savannah in the North ,which is flat and sparsely vegetated. The country is blessed with mineral, physical, biological and energy resources. From the mangrove and rain forests of the south, through the various savannahs, and semi-arid ecosystems of the north, the nation is richly endowed. But what went wrong? The word ‘wildlife’ brings to mind ‘animals in the forest’. It is difficult to give a specific definition of the word. However, wildlife traditionally refers to non-domesticated animal species, but has come to include all plants, fungi and other organisms which grow or live wild in an area without being introduced by humans. The term ‘wildlife management’ on the other hand I will refer to mean preservation and conservation or maintenance of wildlife resources. Also it is the art of maintaining balance in the needs of wildlife and the needs of people using the best science. It includes game keeping, wildlife conservation and control, which aims to halt the loss in the earth’s biodiversity by taking into consideration ecological principles such as carrying capacity, disturbance and succession and environmental conditions such as physical geography, etc. About a century ago, that is before the arrival of Europeans, a diversity of animals roamed the country’s forests and grasslands in appreciable numbers. A stable ecological relationship existed between people and wildlife in many areas during this period. However over the last twenty years, various human...
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...Toying with Indonesia’s Deforestation Andrew Wirawan Introduction to Environmental Studies April 2014 Introduction Indonesia is one of the world’s most forested countries with a wide variety of forest types. These forests are rich in biodiversity and unsurprisingly are an important livelihood source for a great number of people. Somewhere between 6 million and 30 million Indonesians are estimated to be directly dependent on forests (Sunderlin et al. 2000). As Indonesia is a developing country, the government is highly dependent on the forestry sector, as well as forestry-related sectors such as agriculture, estate crops, mining and logging. Consequently, during Indonesia’s history, its forests have been continually exploited, meaning deforestation and forest degradation have been inevitable. This paper will emphasize on deforestation caused by various world famous toy manufacturers, such as Mattel, Disney, Hasbro and Lego. The usage of MTH (Mixed Tropical Hardwood) in their packaging means rainforest clearance in Indonesia, since MTH is only pulped at commercial scales in Indonesia, mainly by APP (Asia Pulp & Paper). Not only deforestation is caused, but this deforestation is also pushing critically endangered wildlife like Sumatran tigers toward extinction and making climate change worse. The Producer: APP APP or Asia Pulp & Paper is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world. APP has its roots since the 1970s, and with the founder’s close...
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...agreement is an undertaking by a group of countries to stabilize trade, supplies, and prices of a commodity for the benefit of participating countries. An agreement usually involves a consensus on quantities traded, prices, and stock management. A number of international commodity agreements serve solely as forums for information exchange, analysis, and policy discussion. USTR leads United States participation in two commodity trade agreements: the International Tropical Timber Agreement and the International Coffee Agreement (ICA). Both agreements establish intergovernmental organizations with governing councils . International Coffee Agreement The International Coffee Organization (ICO) is the main intergovernmental organization for coffee. ICO exporting members account for more than 97 percent of world coffee production, and its importing Members, are responsible for around 80 percent of world coffee consumption. The ICO makes a practical contribution to the world coffee economy and to the improvement of living standards in developing countries by facilitating intergovernmental consultation and coordination regarding coffee policies and priorities, by encouraging a sustainable world coffee economy, by initiating coffee development projects to add value and improve marketing, by increasing world coffee consumption through innovative market development activities, by promoting the improvement of coffee quality, by working closely with the global coffee industry through a 16 member...
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...Edward Lohmeyer 12/7/13 The Genocide of Forests Forests still cover approximately 30 percent of the earth’s surface, but every year areas the sizes of Panama are being decimated (Deforestation). The clearing of large tracks of forests, which is thereafter converted to a non-forest use, is known as deforestation. Deforestation has a multitude of devastating effects in the world we live in. However with the cooperation of people worldwide this process can be drastically slowed down and even stopped. Forests are cut down for various reasons, but are almost always related to money in some way or another. The most common reasons are Urbanization, logging, large-scale agriculture, mining and urbanization. Deforestation can occur naturally and is caused by lighting, which then triggers forest fires. On average in U.S. 4 million to 5 million acres are lost due to forest fires, but in recent years more than 9 million acres have burn. Scientist believe the reason for the drastic increase is because global warming making summer season longer and dryer which is inductive to forest fires (Wildfires). Healthy forests help absorb greenhouse gasses and carbon emissions that are caused by human civilization and contribute to global warming. Without trees, more carbon and greenhouse gasses enter the atmosphere. To make matters worse, trees actually become carbon sources when they are cut, burned, or otherwise removed. According to the World Wild Life organization 15 percent of all...
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...Shannon Esperson ENGL 1302 Dr. Christie Position Paper Final Just last month I was in Las Vegas Nevada dancing the nights away in some of the hottest night clubs around when someone in my party got a headache from all the secondhand smoke she was being exposed to. At that point in time we left the night club and shortly after her headache disappeared; it was as easy as that. This experience got me thinking about those who don’t have the ability to control their secondhand smoke exposure and what, if anything, is being done to protect them. As easy as it was for myself to leave this smoky environment, a child in a smoke filled car, for example, would be trapped with no hope or realistic ability to escape the situation. Smoke free citizens have pressed legislators for years to make their work and public environments smoke free. Smoking cigarettes is now illegal in government buildings, and many bars and restaurants nationwide and yet only six states have laws making it illegal to smoke in a car with a minor present. Shouldn’t minors be afforded the same liberties we adults demand for ourselves? I have struggled in my opinion on smoke free legislation for some time now. As a libertarian who appreciates the least government involvement possible, I support the freedom we have to smoke in bars and casinos in Las Vegas. These are adult only environments and as adults we have the choice to engage in the lawful behaviors we see fit. However, as a pediatric nurse who witnesses...
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...SIR- Douglas McCauley, in the article “Selling out on Nature”, expressed his view that there is little evidence to support the notion that market based conservation works. Instead he seeks to once again instill nature as a priority in the people’s minds (no longer focusing only on the intrinsic value). While I understand McCauley’s perspective is not unique, his is not the only one. Conservation based on intrinsic and cultural values cannot be the only way to benefit nature and biodiversity. The other perspective arises in utilizing economic interests and innovations in order to benefit humans and biodiversity simultaneously. To begin with, McCauley fails to address the greater issue in our world, the preservation of our fellow man. The moral...
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...Internet Assignment 1 New Zealand Forest Resources New Zealand is a widely diverse ecoregion which is made up of 7 contiguous ecoregions. These regions are spread over 170,000 sq. km (or, 65,500 sq. miles). With only 5 major temperate rainforests in the world, the temperate forests of the South Island of New Zealand are some of the largest areas of native vegetation in the country. The New Zealand kauri (Agathis australis) belongs to the ancient conifer family, Araucariaceae, one of the largest and longest-living trees in the world. The most southern-growing species, New Zealand kauri, is restricted to the sub-tropical forests in areas north of latitude 38°. The Afforestation Grant Scheme (AGS) helps growers establish new forest plantations. Producing 100% of its products from plantation forests; the New Zealand plantation forests and wood products industry is based on wholly renewable resources, the industry is predominantly based on sustainable plantations of Monterey pine or New Zealand pine, and Pinus radiata, commonly known as radiata pine. Douglas-fir and various eucalyptus and cypress trees are also grown for timber. FOA members manage around two-thirds of the plantation forests of New Zealand’s 1.79 m ha plantation forestry estate. Over 94% of the plantation forests are privately owned and over 90% of New Zealand’s planted forests are pinus radiata. Forestry in New Zealand is geared to both domestic and export demand. About 44% of the harvested logs and various percentages...
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...Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) are used as examples of the paper and pulp manufacturers. The report will be concluded by providing recommendations regarding the issue. Indonesia overview Indonesia maintains the highest rate of illegal logging among other countries, up to 60% of timber production. Corruption has been a prevalent issue in Indonesia, and was even worse after the end of the Suharto government system. Deforestation rate is excessive from 1.3 to 2 million hectares every year. Indonesia represents about one-quarter of global tropical wood production and exports, and about half of global tropical hardwood plywood exports. Indonesia is one of the prime targets of international awareness on illegal logging and forest destruction operation (Creek 2004). According to Creek (2004), ‘The...
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...Social entrepreneurship through forest bio residue briquetting Contents 1. The social problem and the opportunity 4 2. Mission, vision and values 7 3. Our solution (strategy and business model) 9 4. The entrepreneurial team 15 5. Human resources 16 6. Context 18 7. Scaling strategy 20 8. Impact measurement 22 9. Risks 25 10. Financial Plan 28 Bibliography 29 Figure 1. Exposure of the population to natural disasters 4 Figure 2. Lean canvas 8 Figure 3. Manually operated briquetting machine 11 Figure 4. Crushing option 12 0. Business plan summary This section should briefly present the main ideas of the following sections and thus should resemble an elevator speech. Accordingly, it has to be written last, after all the details of the business have been established. Length of section: 0.5-1 page 1. The social problem and the opportunity Most of the time Romania ranks last in sectors like education, health and sustainable development among European countries. But when it comes to antagonistic areas, the situation changes abruptly: Romania occupying the fourth place among the European countries threatened by natural disasters like drought, floods and landslide. In 2012 Institute for Environment and Human Security of the UN launched the World Risk Report which focused on environmental degradation and disasters. According to the study, Romania features an average risk. The report underlined the following aspect: “The risk...
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...PRICING STRATEGY AND PROFITABILITY OF HONEY MARKETING ORGANISATIONS IN THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE OF CAMEROON D. Malaa1* ; G. A. Muluh2 ; F. Kamajou2 1* Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Dschang BP 44 Dschang, West Province, Cameroon Tel 237 777 00 69 email: dorothymalaa@yahoo.co.uk 2 Faculty of Economics and Management University of Dschang Cameroon ABSTRACT This study assessed the efficiency of three honey marketing organisations, which emerged at the advent of market liberalisation, in the Bamenda Central, Belo and Elak- Oku Sub-Divisions in the North West Province of Cameroon. This research addresses the question: are honey marketing organisations efficient in their pricing. Two types of honey (white honey and brown fluid honey) are marketed, and the marketing organisations are judged organised and efficient given the marketing functions have been liberalised with little or no state intervention in the honey sub-sector. Honey marketing organisations are profitable with the return of profit margins to total cost equal to or greater than the minimum interest rate of 18%. Whilst it is recommended that actors or stakeholders in this sector should organise workshops/training sessions in processing and marketing to empower themselves, further studies should be focused on the cost of processing techniques. Key Words: Honey, Marketing organisations, Pricing strategy, Profitability, Profit margins...
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