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The impact of human activities on the environment
The impact of human activities on the environment
Effects of human activities on the environment
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Driving along the old California logging roads, you see the trees start to thin out and the roads become illuminated. You begin to wonder, what happened to these beautiful trees and why are there only stumps left behind? Out here in the massive trees of California, the effects of humans are becoming even more prominent. With less than 5% left of the tallest trees in the world, and only 2.5% of them protected, the forests are suffering. “Many remaining groves, both protected and unprotected, are threatened by significant alteration of surrounding watersheds from development and logging which can increase the frequency and severity of floods, fires, and sedimentation,” stated D. Olson. Logging has brought in many invasive species including bark beetles, which attack and kill live trees, and are then known as …show more content…
“The debris left behind at logging sights inviting even more diseases and pests.” Logging also compresses the soil. Soil compression restricts root growth and minimizes the amount of nutrients available to vegetation. With root growth restricted, root function becomes minimized. When there are less nutrients available to the plants, they then become more susceptible to diseases. It also decreases the amount of oxygen and water available to the vegetation. With the amount vegetation dying in the forests, there are even more fire hazards littering the forest floor. According to sierraforestlegacy.org, logging operations greatly increase the risk of fire in a forest because of the increase of surface dead fuels and because it is changing the local microclimate. With the microclimates changed, the local conditions become hotter and drier, resulting in even more fire hazards. With the unnatural fire patterns, even more carbon emissions are being released, which is now contributing to global
When people see new construction or a recently paved road, they often do not realize the sacrifice that was made to create these luxuries. Most people pass some form of construction on the way to their jobs or school every day. This simple fact sparks questions regarding what this area looked like before it was inhabited by humans. Illinois forests have undergone drastic changes in the decades since European settlement. Only 31 % of the forest area present in 1820 exists today. (Iverson Pdf) Tearing down trees to build new structures isn’t bad if done in moderation, in some ways with time and good planning its wonderful. However, anyone that hunts or claims to be an outdoorsman will relate to the incomparable feeling experienced when alone in the woods and far from the hustle of the urbanized world.
As people of the twenty-first century, we are all too familiar with the frequent occurrence of wildfires in our nation’s forests. Each year millions of acres of woodlands are destroyed in brutal scorches. It has been estimated that 190 million acres of rangelands in the United States are highly susceptible to catastrophic fires (www.doi.gov/initiatives/forest.html.). About a third of these high-risk forests are located in California (www.sfgate.com). These uncontrollable blazes not only consume our beautiful forests but also the wildlife, our homes and often the lives of those who fight the wildfires. The frequency of these devastating fires has been increasing over the years. In fact, in the years 2000 and 2002, it has been reported that the United States has faced its worst two years in fifty years for mass destruction fires (www.doi.gov/initiatives/forest.html.). The increased natural fuels buildup coupled with droughts have been a prevailing factor in contributing to our wildfires and unhealthy forests (www.blm.gov/nhp/news/releases/pages/2004/pr040303_forests.html). Due to the severity of these wildfires, several regulations and guidelines have been implemented to save our forests. In fact, the President himself has devised a plan in order to restore our forests and prevent further destruction of our woodlands.
Thousands upon thousands of acres are lost in forest fires every year. We always hear about the dramatic losses caused by forest fires and are often concerned by them. There are so many horrible effects from fires and most of them affect so many people. Studies have shown that out of all of the different methods to decrease fire damage, prescribed burns are the most affective. Many people would argue that they are not as affective because they cause so many health problems. Although that is a very important view and may seem valid, those health issues are not as extreme as one might think. People should look at the majority of the benefits form prescribed burns and they will see how affective and important they are. Prevention is the key to society these days and is definitely an important factor in saving lives. If more lives can be saved as well as land and wildlife, prescribed burns may be the better way to go about forest fires. Although, prescribed burns are better for the environment in order to prevent drastic forest fires, severe damage to timber and extreme death of wildlife; some people feel it affects the health of a firefighter too much and it causes too many long term effects.
Hills dominate much of San Rafael’s geographical profile. Partially located on a large rock quarry, San Rafael’s jagged edges provide stark contrast with its smooth, rolling hills and the nearby China Camp State Park, an almost unknown escape filled with lush greenery and forests. 10 years ago, both the state park and the surrounding hills were covered with oak trees. Recently however, the disease Sudden Oak Death has posed a serious threat to every oak tree in the area. Forestry officials have been forced to burn out any trees that have been infected with the disease, leaving the skeletons of these once mighty trees to dot the landscape. These reminders of nature’s tr...
In 1996, the Asian Longhorn Beetle made its way into the New York and New Jersey creating the decimation of the forests. The Asian Longhorn Beetle has so far caused the cutting of over 10,000 trees in New Jersey, and quarantine of 109 miles in New York today . The spread of this foreign beetle has created great impacts on the environment. The Asian Longhorn Beetle is an invasive specie, a harmful specie from another locations, mainly other countries, that has ended up in a foreign habitat. As time has progressed, invasive species have continued to come into our environment more frequently creating many unforeseen consequences. The relationship of invasive species within the United States’ environment and ecosystem has been changing ever since the arrival of the Europeans in the 1700s to present day. Due to these encounters with other species whether harmful or neutral, the majority, if not all, of the United States has been affected with the threatening encroachment of native species due to the industrialization of waterways and transportation.
The history of logging goes back to the vast ponderosa pine forests of the southern Colorado Plateau in the 1870’s and 1880’s with the harvest of railroad ties and other products for construction of the transcontinental railroad. At first, the companies only wanted the big, high-grade ponderosa pine trees. They soon realized that the big trees run out and are hard to transport. In the 1920’s, new technology including chainsaws, bulldozers, and logging trucks allowed the logging companies to harvest at a much greater rate. By the depression, there were m...
The gathering of a lot of fuel wood had contributed greatly to deforestation, desertification and other soil erosions. One area that has been decertified is the Sahara desert. Over many years of deforestation and taking of fuel wood, this once a rain forest has become an arid land for heat. When people gather the wood or cut down the tress this leads to soil erosion. The roots from the trees help soil stay in place when there are floods and heavy rain falls. Also trees can help decrease wind speed and not cause sandstorms. In many cases through out Africa, which has low fuel, wood resources there are a lot of sandstorms. The greatly reduce these problems, people should start planting more trees to take the place of all the trees that have been cut down. Trees help us in many ways. With more trees air qualities can be much better. Also by using other resources for fuel can be a good idea to lessen the amount of trees used and cut down.
Environmental issues affect every life on this planet from the smallest parasite to the human race. There are many resources that humans and animal needs to survive; some of the most obvious resources come from the forests. Forests make up a large percentage of the globe. The forests have global implications not just on life but on the quality of it. Trees improve the quality of the air that species breath, determine rainfall and replenish the atmosphere. The wood from the forests are used everyday form many useful resources. Moreover, thinning the forests increases the amount of available light, nutrients and water for the remaining trees. Deforestation (forest thinning) is one of the most critical issues of environmental problems that are occurring today.
Who are the loggers? The loggers are people that are cutting down the rainforest for materials to use for almost anything you want.loggers want all types of wood. Loggers use the trees for many different reasons and purposes.Like paper to write on and,houses to live in,tables,tools,building,doors and so many more different reasons that i can't even name.Loggers don't just cut trees down for any purpose they do it for you.If you don't know trees are more important to you than you think.they put a roof over our head and make paper to write on.Most of this happen because the loggers cut them down so dont think of this as a bad thing all of the time.
Fire at any level can be devastating, yet the effects that wildfires have on every worldwide country really has left its mark on the land. As written by world renowned wild fire spokesperson Smokey the Bear, “Every year, wildfires sweeps through parts of the United States setting wilderness and homes ablaze. On average these raging infernos destroy about four to five million acres of land a year. But in 2012, wildfire burned more than 9.3 million acres, an area about the size of Massachusetts and Connecticut combined” (U.S. Wildfires). Destroying homes, crops, towns and of course forests. Yet the effects of these fires can be seen from a negative perspective as well as some positive. Plus there are natural causes as well as manmade that makes these destructive fires erupt and become almost unstoppable in seconds.
The single biggest direct cause of tropical deforestation is conversion to cropland and pasture, mostly for subsistence, which is growing crops or raising livestock to meet daily needs. The conversion to agricultural land usually results from multiple direct factors. For example, countries build roads into remote areas to improve overland transportation of goods. The road development itself causes a limited amount of deforestation. But roads also provide entry to previously inaccessible—and often unclaimed—land. Logging, both legal and illegal, often follows road expansion (and in some cases is the reason for the road expansion). When loggers have harvested an area’s valuable timber, they move on. The roads and the logged areas become a magnet for settlers—farmers and ranchers who slash and burn the remaining forest for cropland or cattle pasture, completing the deforestation chain that began with road building. In other cases, forests that have been degraded by logging become fire-prone and are eventually deforested by repeated accidental fires from adjacent farms or pastures.
Natural factors such as a region’s climate, soils, storm patterns, and the composition of presettlement vegetation influence current forest structure and shape perceptions of desired forest structure (McBride and Jacobs, 1986; Nowak, 1993). The physical development of cities influences the space available for vegetation and its distribution (Sanders 1984). Technological advances in areas such as transportation, air conditioning, and pest control influence attitudes regarding the value of trees, as well as their preservation and management (McPherson and Haip, 1989; McPherson and Luttinger, submitted). Historical data on the development of urban forests can be used with information on current forest structure to better understand key forces of change, current management needs, and future trends in forest health and productivity. As the notion of urban forestry broadens from street tree management to urban ecosystem management, a corresponding need exists for greater information about urban natural resources (McPherson,
Thomson, Steve. "Saving B.C's Forests through the Trees." The Filipino Post 12-18 July 2012: 12. Print.
“The world’s rainforests could completely vanish in a hundred years at the current rate of deforestation.” Says National Geographic. The world’s forests play and important role in providing everyday necessary benefits such as food, water, shelter, clothing, traditional medicine, and most importantly, they maintain an equilibrium in the world’s environment, which if drastically altered, can negatively affect its surroundings. The two main causes that contribute to the deterioration and or extinction of the world’s forests are deforestation and illegal logging. Deforestation is the eradication of vast forests without replacing the lost trees by simultaneously planting new ones. Not all deforestation is intentional. Deforestation can be caused by natural wildfires or overgrazing. Intentional deforestation may be attributed to illegal logging. These individuals who contribute to illegal logging, intentionally harvest trees in a number that is more than necessary. They harvest trees in areas where there are protected species, and in areas where logging is prohibited. Illegal logging companies take business away from companies that follow the law and participate in fair logging with set limitations and regulations. And in order to keep track of and limit the immense number of forests being cut down every year, the government must take action. The government should monitor illegal logging and deforestation of forests which in turn negatively affects out already fragile environment by initiating soil erosion; a loss of species; community disturbances; and carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
With the illegal production’s steady growth rate, the Earth‘s biodiversity has become a victim of widespread damage and ruin. “Illegal logging destroys forests, watersheds, and habitats and negatively affects biodiversity, agriculture, fisheries, and global climate change.” (Colburn, Hitch & Swegle, 2012). Illegal logging has caused mudslides to occur, carbon emissions to become increased, and species to become endangered. In certain areas like Peru, where illegal loggers have all but eradicated the Mahogany tree from existence, loggers are moving their aim to other less known species of trees. These certain trees- Copaoba, Ishpingo, and Capirona- are consid...