Deforestation has become a widely recognized issue in today's more environmentally aware world. Still, there is much to learn. Many don't know that the main cause in many deforestation incidents is to construct and maintain roads. A good amount of these roads aren't strictly for public use but are used by loggers to transport their quotas. In the Amazon basin, the rapidly growing infrastructure is affecting both the high levels of biodiversity in the region and the agriculture. In order to prevent illegal exploitation of logging, the Brazilian State has implemented concession logging thereby increasing the overall aggregate of deforestation. The map below shows the roads and their origins that travel through the designated logging areas. It is obvious that the main purpose of these roads is to aid in the transportation of lumber.
Errors that the researchers have realized within the maps include over simplification of streams and roads, unreliable information due to different loggers mapping different roads, and over exploitation of certain spatial areas by over greedy loggers. The use of the GIS software is definitely useful but it is only as powerful as the users. If the information received isn't correct, there is no way that the map can be accurate. Fortunately, if we assume most of the information is accurate for the most part, it is possible to create a spatial analysis of the roads in the Amazon used by the logging industry. There is still a major problem of deforestation that will not stop. It is a continual process where the building of roads leads to more destruction of biodiversity and deforestation and the need for more lumber leads to the need for more roads. GIS can help determine where new roads need to be built and where the best lumber is but it is not working on the issue of deforestation.
Source: NSF project (BCS-0243102) “Collaborative Research: Socio-Spatial
Processes of Road Extension and Forest Fragmentation in the
Amazon,” and from NASA project (NNG06GD96A) “Spatially
Explicit Land Cover Econometrics and Integration with
Climate Prediction: Scenarios of Future Landscapes and
Land-Climate Interactions.”
The road systems are an interesting part of the logging industry to study, as they would obviously have an impact, and could be more harmful in the long run, but often are overlooked. This could even include "road-kill," air pollution from truck exhaust, and even litter, as the trucks move at high traffic in and out. I am very surprised at how large the logging sites in the Amazon are, just in general. I suppose I shouldn't be, but that area is so highly regarded and talked about, I would think a hight percentage would be protected under law. Further, many of the areas even cover forest areas considered at high value, so, from a conservation standpoint, it seems that GIS could be useful in identifying which areas should be protected (unless I am confused and value refers to monetary value rather than biodiversity, in which case, the logging sites make perfect sense). This was a very interesting post! Good job!
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a pretty cool article, and you did a very nice job of explaining the information. I thought it was interesting that you noted problems such as oversimplification, etc. What are some of the results of these problems?
ReplyDeleteOversimplification and over exploitation of the forests without correct record keeping simply leads to incorrect data. Thus, the research conducted on these data won't be as accurate either. It has a chain effect. Each level grows in inaccuracy making it harder to make inferences. It starts from the beginning. The more precise and accurate the data is to begin with, the better chance there is that the end product will be useful. Good question, Michael!
ReplyDeleteIt's sad to see how many logging sites there are. While I am glad that Brazil has enforced laws to help with deforestation I think it's important that we continue to advance technology to help us turn to other resources that will not reduce biodiversity. Seeing maps like these really serve as eyeopeners.
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