Deforestation

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Deforestation - This is when trees

are cleared and not replaced

About half the

Earth’s tropical rainforest has now gone about

million square km. That’s and area nearly the size of the USA. Much of

it went in the last 59 years. And what’s left in danger

The largest rates of

clearance have been in Asia which has seen 12% of its total forest cleared.

Least has been cleared in Africa and rates recently have been highest in South

America

Causes of

deforestation in the Amazon 2000-2005

Fires, mining, urbanization, road construction - 3%

Logging legal and illegal - 3%

Large-scale, commercial agriculture - 1%

Small-scale, subsistence agriculture - 33%

Cattle ranches - 60%