Deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest

DEGRADATION OF THE
BRAZILIAN RAINFOREST

Brazil’s size (the 5th largest
country in the world and the
largest in Latin America), large
population, and high levels of
economic growth and urbanization
make Brazil a priority country
for U.S. environmental cooperation.

Amazon rainforest birds account for at least one third of the world's bird species, the toucan being the most popular icon.


AMAZON RAINFOREST FACTS:
The Amazonian Rainforest covers over a billion acres, encompassing areas in Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and the Eastern Andean region of Ecuador and Peru. If Amazonia were a country, it would be the ninth largest in the world.


In Brazil alone, European colonists
have destroyed more than 90
indigenous tribes since the 1900’s.


More than half of the world’s estimated
ten million species of plants, animals and
insects live in the tropical forest.


CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION

LARGE-SCALE AGRICULTURE 5-10%
LOGGING 2-3%
SMALL-SCALE AGRICULTURE 65-70%
CATTLE RANCHING 65-70%
OTHER 1-2%

Rainforest land converted to cattle operations
yields the land owner $60 per acre and if timber is
harvested, the land is worth $400 per acre.

Cattle ranching Cuts down the forest for grazing pastures and does not replenish, logging does have a reforestation program.

THE LACY ACT OF 2008
On May 22. 2008 the U.S. Lacy Act, the world’s first ban
on trading Illegal wood, was passed.

1.Theft of plants
2. Taking plants from an officially protected
area, such as a park or reserve
3. Taking plants from other types of officially
designated areas that are recognized by a
countries laws and regulations
4. Taking plants without, or contrary to the
required authorization
5. Failure to pay appropriate royalties, taxes or
fees associated with the plants harvest,
transport or commerce
6. Laws governing export or trans-shipment,
such as a log-export ban

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF THE
RAINFOREST

Over a quarter of the
medicines we use
today have their origins
in the rainforests.

An estimated 90%
of Amazon rainforest plants
used by Amazon natives have
not been studied by modern
science.

70%
of plants found to have anticancer properties
are found only in the rainforest.

3,000 plants
have been identified by the U.S. National Cancer
Institute to be active against cancer cells.

25%
of the active ingredients in today’s cancer
fighting drugs come from organisms found only
in the rainforest.

DEGRADATION IN BRAZIL IS SLOWING
The main reason for the decline in logging can be attributed to the
establishment of national parks and conservation areas for indigenous
peoples to protect their traditional methods of gathering fruits, natural
rubber and other products from the forest.

In the course of the last 12 years, the size of protected
areas has climbed from 140,000 square kilometers to
320,000.

INFOGRAPHIC DESIGNED BY
National Positions
Profitable Internet Marketing

Premium Brazilian Decking DEGRADATION OF THE BRAZILIAN AINFOREST Brazil's size (the 5th largest country in the world and the largest in Latin America), large population, and high levels of economic growth and urbaniza- tion make Brazil a priority country for U.S. environmental cooperation. Amazon rainforest birds account for at least one third of the world's bird species, the toucan being the most popular icon. AMAZON RAINFOREST FACTS: The Amazonian Rainforest covers over a billion acres, en- compassing areas in Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and the Eastern Andean region of Ecuador and Peru. If Amazonia were a country, it would be the ninth largest in the world. In Brazil alone, European colonists have destroyed more than 90 indigenous tribes since the 1900's. More than half of the world's estimated ten million species of plants, animals and insects live in the tropical forest. CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION LARGE-SCALE AGRICULTURE 5-10% CATTLE RANCHING 65-70% OTHER 1-2% Rainforest land convert- ed to cattle operations yields the land owner $60 per acre and if timber is harvested, the land is worth $400 per acre. ALOGGING 2-3% Cattle ranching cuts down the forest for grazing pas- tures and does not replen- SMALL-SCALE AGRICULTURE 65-70% ish, logging does have a reforestation program. THE LACY ACT OF 2008 On May 22, 2008 the U.S. Lacy Act, the world's first ban on trading illegal wood, was passed. 1. Theft of plants 2. Taking plants from an officially protected area, such as a park or reserve 3. Taking plants from other types of officially designated areas that are recognized by a countries laws and regulations 4. Taking plants without, or contrary to the required authorization 5. Failure to pay appropriate royalties, taxes or fees associated with the plants harvest, transport or commerce 6. Laws governing export or trans-shipment, such as a log-export ban MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF THE RAINFOREST An estimated 90% Over a quarter of the medicines we use of Amazon rainforest plants used by Amazon natives have not been studied by modern today have their origins in the rainforests. science. 70% of plants found to have anticancer properties are found only in the rainforest. 3,000 have been identified by the U.S. National Cancer plants Institute to be active against cancer cells. of the active ingredients in today's cancer- 25% fighting drugs come from organisms found only in the rainforest. DEGRADATION IN BRAZIL IS SLOWING The main reason for the decline in logging can be attributed to the establishment of national parks and conservation areas for indigenous peoples to protect their traditonal methods of gathering fruits, natural rubber and other products from the forest. In the course of the last 12 years, the size of protected areas has climbed from 140,000 square kilometers to 320,000. SOURCES: le alandecking.com/environmental.htm! -globalorglacey/P6.EIALoceyReport.pdf http://www.epa.govinternationaliregions/lac/brazilhtmi http://www.brasil.gov.brienergio en/environmentienvironmental ikensing/or_model1iset_languagemen http://www.savetheamazon.org/rainforeststats.htm http://www.dw.de/trainforest-degradation-in-brazil-is-slowing/a-16012393 http://www.onthegotours.com/blog/2012/11/top-10-facts-about-the-amazon-rainforest/ INFOGRAPHIC DESIGNED BY NationalPositions Profitable Internet Marketing Premium Bra zilian Decking Дваин