|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Only 53% of Amazon remains intact - 03/29/2006 Locality: São Paulo - SP Source: O Estado de S.Paulo Link: http://www.estado.com.br/ One of the most detailed maps ever produced on the conservation status of Amazonia shows that 47% of the forest has already been deforested, occupied or altered by humans. The study, coordinated by the Institute of Man and the Environment (Imazon) goes beyond satellite images used for annual deforestation calculations, which only shows the difference between deforested (17%) and non-deforested (83%) areas. "We must get beyond this dichotomy, the true situation of Amazonia is much more complex", researcher Adalberto Veríssimo said to "O Estado" newspaper. "In addition to the 17% deforested there is at least another 30% of forest under pressure." Only 53% remains truly intact. The study combines satellite images to environmental impact indicator mapping, including urban, agriculture/ranching, settlement, mining and recent fire-devastated areas. "The 'intact' forest seen from space is just camouflage", says Verissimo. Moreover, two pressure indicators are left out: illegal roads and selective logging - that is, logging of selected tree species of high commercial value, without removing the entire forest. Researchers hope that the information will be used to prepare public policies, identifying areas where man-made pressure endangers the survival of the forest. "In the end, it is a map of vulnerabilities", states Paulo Barreto, main author of the study. "Deforestation figures published yearly are important, but we need predictive tools, to block the process in advance." The study shows that almost half (48%) of the areas considered as priorities for biodiversity conservation are already under some sort of pressure. The most significant impacts occur along highways and in areas surrounding urban centers. Some 89% of the total area deforested is less than 18,6 miles from an official road.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Free:
| © Amigos da Terra - Amazônia Brasileira - read our privacy policy |