The Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest is probably the most important region that is threatened by deforestation. With over four million square kilometers, it is roughly the size of the United States. The Amazon spreads across nine South American Countries and contains one-fifth of the world's fresh water and one-third of the world's known living species. The land is home to hundreds of indigenous groups and is considered by many to be "the lungs of the planet". With so many wonderful benefits and advantages the Amazon Rainforest causes a major conflict all over the world.
The Amazon Rainforest gives many human beings benefits. If the forest is used appropriately there will be an enormous source of timber and non-timber products for a long period of time. Biodiversity is essential for human existence; forest products are important not only for industries but also for the communities who live around or inside the forest. Several indigenous groups of people live in the forest, using it as shelter and a source of food.
However, despite these reasons widely known for preserving the Amazon, logging companies and shifting cultivation are destroying the Amazon forest. Thus the conflict between the groups is constantly rising.
Logging for wood exportation is the single largest cause of rainforest destruction (Taylor). The huge profits that come from deforestation and logging seem to influence these groups opinions on saving/conserving the rainforest. Logging companies are not only destroying the forest, but also are affecting the indigenous people rights, invading their lands and reserves. After logging, those people are poorer because their forest have been deteriorate and its richness taken. Once there is no more valuable tree species, loggers leave the forest and small farmers come using the logging roads and clear the forest for shifting cultivation. Along with this conflict many see the shifting cultivation caused by settlements as another main problem that...
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