Prince Charles urges forest logging halt

[sparky]

The halting of logging in the world's rainforests is the single greatest solution to climate change, Prince Charles has said.

He called for a mechanism to be devised to pay poor countries to prevent them felling their rainforests.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Charles urges forest logging halt

[macgardener]

Good on him!
Thanks for the link.

[suz1002]

The rain forests evolved over billions of years but could be destroyed in a very few.
Forests are the lungs of the planet and so we all have an interest in keeping them healthy.

[arno]

Why is it the world only moves in to help after a war or natural disaster?

The Amazon region is vast and its governments don't have the resources to stop poor farmers or illegal corporations moving in and felling/colonising huge areas. Move in large numbers of UN forest protection agents (blue berets) while at the same time set up 'reconstruction' schemes to make existing populated areas self-sustaining.

[include]

Nice one Charlie. Arno, people also don't realise that all these things often contribute to disaster. They reckon the situation in Burma was worsened because of deforestation.

[brianidaho]

This is a complex issue, without a single obvious solution. The article is correct in that many of the people living in these forests are extremely poor, and are doing what they can to survive...including logging/clearing of the forests.

One item to keep in mind is that a mature forest is not a net absorber of CO2. It is absorbed by trees as they grow, and released as they die and either decay or burn. During decay, methane (a gas with much higher GWP than CO2) is also produced. The only way a forest continues as a net absorber of CO2 is if trees are removed from the woods before they decay or are burned, the CO2 is sequestered in the wood used as a construction material. Responsible forest management could perhaps allow some degree of timber production (and provide the economic means of survival for residents), while ensuring that the forests remain net CO2 absorbers. And by responsible forest management I'm referring to selective cutting of a relatively small percentage of the timber in a given area, not widespread clearcutting.

We have similar issues here in the Western US-much of the land around here is owned by th federal government. In the past, a significant amount of this land was managed for timber production; the harvest of timber provides both employement within the local communitites, and the sale of harvested timber is taxed to provide income to the communities (the federal government is the only landowner that otherwise pays no tax to the community). Currently logging is currently very restricted on federal lands, many local communities have lost jobs and schools in particular are hurting due to the loss of tax revenue. In addition, many of these forests are in poor shape due to very dense forests and are suffering from disease and insect attack. We also have had a significant increase in the number and severity of wildfires.

Like so many issues, it's not simple....

[forfismum]

Prince Charles.....isn't he one of the muppets ?

[forfismum]

Originally Posted by arno

Why is it the world only moves in to help after a war or natural disaster?

The Amazon region is vast and its governments don't have the resources to stop poor farmers or illegal corporations moving in and felling/colonising huge areas. Move in large numbers of UN forest protection agents (blue berets) while at the same time set up 'reconstruction' schemes to make existing populated areas self-sustaining.

Why are you environmentalists all control freaks? Tax motorists,stop the third world breeding,ban whatever you can think of and now send in the troops to stop logging.bet Stalin would have been proud to have you all on his team.

[brianidaho]

Originally Posted by forfismum

Prince Charles.....isn't he one of the muppets ?

Well, he is trying to be "green"...and he does bear a passing resemblance to Kermit. (with all due respect to the loyal subjects here)

[spadlet]

Originally Posted by brianidaho

(with all due respect to the loyal subjects here)

I would just like to say that I'm very offended by the suggestion that my chosen leader Kermit in any way resembles Prince Charles. Kermit can sing and has never had any marital dfficulties, other than being attracted to a rather difficult woman in the form of Miss Piggy.