Carbon Blueprints - Deforestation Effect

Carbon Blueprints

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GLOBAL WARMING - DEFORESTATION EFFECT
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WE ARE CARETAKERS OF THIS EARTH

DISCLAIMER: As you know, Carbon Blueprints is dedicated to accuracy and truth. This site is allowing this discussion, of which each "fact" must be backed up by research and accurate data, in order make sure we know what is true, what is myth, and what is a lie.

HOW DO DEFORESTATION HARM THE ENVIRONMENT?:
Trees are the blood vessels of the earth. They take carbon dioxide filled air and convert it back to oxygenated air. Trees are only one way for the earth to create oxygenated air.

Global Warming is being offset by the trees we see everyday. Everytime one is cut down the earth is hurt. With every tree we plant the better the earth is sustained.

The question that needs to be asked is, whether the trees that are being cut down are being replaced and what countries are not doing their part or allowing large companies who don't care get away with it? Where are the trees coming from and would they be better suited for other causes such as medicine. Also, what are these companies doing or saying about their deforestation efforts?

Those American companies contacted, all pride themselves in their reforestation efforts. They claim that they would be putting themselves out of a job if they did not put back the trees they used. Also they profess to truly care about the environment because it is everyones future, they also talk about a moral and ethical responsibility to be caretakers of the earth.

"THEORY" = Prediction for the Future
"MUST CONFIRM WITH DATA" = Data is not in and has not been provided as of yet.

"FACT" = data is in and there is no question.
"CONFLICT" is when both sides have accurate" data but they conflict.

SOURCE:

FOR

AGAINST

SOURCE:

EPA - FORESTS

(MUST CONFIRM WITH DATA)

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007) concluded that there may be significant regional transitions associated with shifts in forest location and composition in the U.S. due to climate change. Climate change is likely to alter the geographic distribution of North American forests, including regionally important tree species, such as New England sugar maples and boreal forests in Alaska.

The effects of climate change on forests in the U.S. and other parts of the world will depend not only on climatic factors but also on stresses from pollution (e.g., acid rain); future trends in forest management practices, including fire control and demand for timber; and land-use change. It is difficult to separate the influence of climate change from these other pressures.

Climate change effects on forests are likely to include changes in forest health and productivity and changes in the geographic range of certain tree species. These effects can in turn alter timber production, outdoor recreational activities, water quality, wildlife and rates of carbon storage.

EPA - CLIMATE FACTORS -

(MUST CONFIRM WITH DATA)

In general, forests are sensitive to climatic variability and change. Climatic factors that influence forest health-temperature, rainfall, atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases and extreme weather and fire events—are changing and are expected to continue changing due to human activities.

The following climate factors are likely to play an important role in determining future forest conditions:

Air temperature
Precipitation amount and seasonal distribution
Atmospheric CO2 concentrations
Frequency and severity of wildfire events
Climatic variability and the frequency and severity of extreme events
Indirect effects on pollution levels such as tropospheric ozone

EPA - TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION

(MUST CONFIRM WITH DATA)

Changes in temperature and precipitation are expected to change forest location, composition, and productivity. Climate change is likely to drive the migration of tree species, resulting in changes in the geographic distribution of forest types and new combinations of species within forests. In North America, many tree species may shift northward or to higher elevations. (IPCC, 2007)

Three generations of the Robinson Family have lived and worked in Brazil. The company's close connection to Brazil, initiated by Charlie Robinson in the mid-1960's, continues today stronger than ever.

Robinson Lumber Company as a member of the International Wood Products Association, (IWPA), follows a clear environmental policy for the purchase of tropical wood and wood products. We believe in our responsibility and are committed to basing our commercial activities on sound principles of proper forest management. These principles have been outlined by the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), which we fully support.

Our Brazilian subsidiary, Robco Madeiras, is committed to securing hardwoods from sustainably managed forests.

All lumber delivered to Robco Madeiras by our suppliers must have legal origin as regulated by IBAMA, the Brazilian Department of Environmental Affairs. This means that all lumber exported by Robco is consistent with all Brazilian regulations concerning sustainable yield forestry.

Upon request, Robinson can provide a copy of an IBAMA certified invoice from our lumber suppliers. All export shipments are accompanied by a Certificate of Origin and a Phytosanitary Certificate, and when necessary, a CITES certificate.

ROBINSON LUMBER AND FLOORING COMPANY - Companies and Lumber Associations have their own environmental policies.

(FACT - Found in private lumber company's & organization's policies.)

EPA - TREE GROWTH AND CO2 SEQUESTRATION

(MUST CONFIRM WITH DATA)

Trees Free-Air CO2 Enrichment experiments suggest that tree growth rates may increase with increasing levels of atmospheric CO2, but these effects are expected to saturate over time as tree communities adjust to increased CO2 levels.

Climate change effects that influence tree growth will also alter rates of carbon storage (or sequestration) in trees and soils. Increased carbon sequestration would remove more CO2 from the atmosphere (a negative feedback that lessens climate change), whereas carbon losses through forest disturbances would result in more CO2 entering the atmosphere (a positive feedback that strengthens climate change). The IPCC (2007) concludes that “net carbon uptake by terrestrial ecosystems is likely to peak before mid-century and then weaken or even reverse, thus amplifying climate change.”

Canadian forests companies are responsible for:

Prompt reforestation
Specific reforestation
Ensured reforestation

Prompt Reforestation - Provincial laws require that all harvested areas be regenerated promptly after harvesting.

Specific Reforestation - Public land is quickly reforested with native species suited to meet local ecological conditions.

Ensured Reforestation - Canadian Forest companies are legally obligated to track and ensure regeneration success. If a newly planted forest fails, the company must replant the area until it is properly reforested. Forest companies remain responsible for a harvested area until the new growth reaches what is called a free-growing state, which means there is assurance the young trees will grow into a new, healthy forest. This usually takes 6 to 12 years.

WESTERN RED CEDAR LUMBAR ASSOC. - Country's policies on harvesting and reforesting areas that have been harvested.

(FACT - POLICY IN CANADA)

WORLD PROUT ASSEMBLY - Human deforestation has reduced the earths tree cover around the world from 50% to 20%.

(MUST CONFIRM WITH DATA)

Wherever people have lived in forested areas, they have always cut down trees, either to use the timber or to make space for agriculture. Wood has been the dominant heating fuel, and construction material for housing and ships, for almost all of recorded history, and in this century vast quantities are also being used for paper production. Paper products now use 25% of the world's timber harvest. Paper production worldwide has increased 20-fold since 1913.

There are alternatives to tree-cutting for paper making.

In the last 5,000 years, humans have reduced forests from roughly 50% of the earth's land surface to less than 20%. If deforestation continues at present rates, Thailand will have no forest left in 25 years; the Philippines in less than 20 years, and Nepal in 15 years. And in most places the rate of deforestation is increasing.

Many of the large areas of grassland in the world, such as the savannas of Africa, the steppes of eastern Europe and Russia, the pampas of Argentina, and at least some of the prairies of North America, were forested before human disturbance. In the drier areas of the world such as North Africa, Greece, Italy, and Australia, the deforested areas have subsequently been overgrazed, and have lost soil so rapidly that they have turned to desert (desertification). The UN in 2000 reported that half of all land in South Asia has lost agricultural potential because of desertification.

EPA - FIRE AND DISEASE

(MUST CONFIRM WITH DATA)

Changes in forest disturbance regimes, such as fire or disease, could also affect the future of U.S. forests and the market for forest products, such as timber. Increased temperatures could increase fire risk in areas that become drier due to climate change. These changes could compound existing fire risks (IPCC, 2007). Climate change could also promote the rapid increase of diseases and pests that attack tree species. Such disturbances may be detrimental to forests themselves, but may have a lesser impact at the market level due to salvage operations that harvest timber from dying forests (Shugart, et al., 2003).

EPA - IMPLICATION FOR NORTH AMERICA

(MUST CONFIRM WITH DATA)

The IPCC concluded that, for North America as a whole (IPCC, 2007):

Climate change is expected to increase the growth of forests modestly (by 10-20 percent) over the next century. However, extreme and/or long-term climate change scenarios also create the potential for widespread forest decline.
Disturbances such as wildfires and insect outbreaks are increasing and likely to intensify in a warmer climate with drier soils and longer growing seasons. The forest fire season is likely to lengthen, and the area subject to high fire danger is likely to increase significantly.
The long-term effects of fire will depend heavily on changes in human fire management activities.