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The decline of the forests in Africa

The endangerment of livelihood

Tuesday, the 19.03.2024 The Time is: 7.04.04 Now are 0 User online
 
  This is a part of our new English translated website,
translated by Rynya Kollias, who is a poet: www.rynya.de

 
 

The yearly losses of forestry areas in Africa amount to an average of 0,7 percent, which doesn't sound too dramatic.
However, this amount is about 1,5-times the forest area of Bavaria (Germany).
And also, nature's limit has been overridden in most regions.
Losses of forestry area lead to soil erosion, less rainfalls and changes or loss of rain seasons.
Due to these facts, the livelihood of many people is endangered.
The flora and fauna is also endangered because of this and species are made extinct.
The local climate becomes hotter and drier.
The regeneration of the forests becomes a problem.
The pressure on the forests is very high.
The forests gets plundered for many reasons.
International timber companies share in the plundering,
as well as mine construction companies, power plants or farmers.
They all clear the forests because there is more profit in Cash-crops, which they plant in those cleared areas.
The African Reforestation Union works hand-in-hand with the local people.
The local people are also responsible for the high loss of forests due to their actions.
The people are often forced to plunder the forests due to economic reasons.

Timber, the most important source of energy in Africa
In many parts of Africa, timber is the most important source of energy.
Private households use it for cooking and heating.
Also, the craftsmen and sometimes big industries use timber for their plants.
80 to 90 percent of the yearly timber yields get combusted in this way.
First of all the single trees and forests of the surrounding area get felled.
The more trees are being felled, the longer the paths to further forestry areas become.
This way, the landscape gets cleared systematically.
In some regions, timber has become a precious good which not everyone can afford..

The keeping of excessive animal stocks
Due to the excessive keeping of animal stocks, the natural regeneration of the trees cannot take place.
Looking for fodder, the cows, sheep and goats graze large plains.
This happens in such a big dimension, that no seed can survive.
By building a fence, the forest can be saved and can grow again.