Commercial Logging is become a big problem in the rainforests. Companies cut down mature trees that have been in the forest for hundreds of years. The timber trade defends itself my saying “selective” logging ensures that the forest will re grow over time. But, in most cases this is not true due too the nature of rainforests and logging practices. The heavy machinery used to penetrate the forest and build roads causes extensive damage. The heavy machinery also compacts the soil, decreasing the forests chance of regeneration. Once trees are cut down, they must get them out of the forest. This is often done carelessly, and causes destruction to the rest of the forest. It is believed that in many South East Asian countries between 45-74% of trees remaining after logging have been badly damaged or destroyed.
Citations: http://www.savetherainforest.org/savetherainforest_006.htm
Soo Rance, The timber trade said that over time the forest will re grow, how long would you estimate that taking?
ReplyDeleteAs you say selective logging ensures that the forest will regrow over time, but this is not true for the rain forests. Do rain forest tress grow differently than other trees or are they just effected and damaged to severely by the logging practice to regrow?
ReplyDeleteCan selective logging allow regrowth of the forest if it is done properly? I feel that we could protect the trees not being cut with proper laws which require certain practices. Are there any government regulations in the United States or any countries related to sustainable logging?
ReplyDeleteI do not think that selective logging will really allow growth, even if it is done properly. Companies are going to have to make roads just to get to into the rainforest, which is already killing plants and trees that they are not even using. By cutting down selected trees they are also killing plants such as vines, epiphytes, and lianas.
ReplyDeleteWhat does selective logging entail? Are their requirements that these "select" trees must meet, or do they just randomly choose trees and use this are their excuse for reducing their logging?
ReplyDeleteIf selective logging allowed trees to re grow wouldn't the companies need to wait hundreds of years before re entering that area? Because the trees they are cutting took that long to grow.
ReplyDeleteAre there any other ways that the logging practices could be changed so there is less harmful machinery? Also, is it guaranteed that every tree cut down will regrow overtime?
ReplyDeleteWhat are we doing about commercial logging? I agree with Rance, even though they say that they will re grow it wont happen because they are ruining the soil that they grow in and making the habitat bad to not grow them because of they are being careless about it.
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