Showing posts with label Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest. Show all posts

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Forests and Global Warming

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 262-365

On a global scale, 31% of the land area is covered by forests. Some of these areas are highly under threat by unsustainable forestry and environmental pollution.


Between 2000 and 2010, forests showed annual losses of 5.2 million hectares despite active efforts in all regions to slow deforestation rates and accelerate forest plantations. Most of the losses are concentrated in tropical regions, which provide a range of ecosystem services, including supporting a rich biodiversity.


 Deforestation and forest degradation constitute the second leading cause of global warming, accounting for nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions.


Despite the effort to protect them, forests are being cut down and degraded.


Experience has proven that climate-smart forest investments are more successful when indigenous peoples groups and local communities, which base their livelihoods on the forests, are involved in designing and implementing individual programs. 


The World Heritage Committee about Tasmania’s forests



The World Heritage Committee  made a unanimous decision on june 2014 to maintain the World Heritage status of Tasmania’s forests. The Australian Government was an international embarrassment with it’s attempt to have 74,000 hectares of forest removed from the list, that had only been given World Heritage status at 2013 annual meeting.


The Abbott government wants iconic forests removed from the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, so they can be logged – a plan opposed by timber companies, their industry body, Tasmania’s Premier and her government.


Portugal spoke at length to support the protection of the forests, and indicating the way in which a de-listing would undermine the integrity of World Heritage. “Accepting this de-listing today would be setting an unacceptable precedent impossible to deny in similar circumstances in the future. If this committee cares for conservation according to responsible engagement of state parties to the convention when they submit their nominations, we cannot accept these requests to de-list” said the spokesperson for the Portuguese delegation.


Asian Forests


Asian forests grew by one million hectares every year between 2000 and 2005. Asia’s increase in forests was the result of a planned effort to plant trees in that region. Most of the trees were planted in China.



Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest,Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil













The Upper Paraná originally measured 182,000 square miles, but with only 7.4 percent of pristine area remaining, it’s now one of the most endangered rainforests on earth. More than 90 percent of amphibians and 50 percent of plants found there are unique to the area, and according to the World Wildlife Fund, it’s an outstanding ecoregion that represents a complete range of the planet’s freshwater and saltwater habitats. But it’s also home to more than 25 million people, making it one of the most accessible—and threatened—intact forests.

Links

http://permaculturenews.org/2014/11/27/paul-stamets-how-mushrooms-can-save-bees-our-food-supply-bioneers/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAw_Zzge49c