Mitigation Measures for Deforestation

ProtectionandConservationOnemeasuretohelpmitigatethenegativeimpactsof deforestationintropical rainforestsisthroughprotectionandconversationof therainforests. Conservationreferstoprotectingtheenvironment anditsnatural resourcesfromharm. It involvesmaintenance,restorationandwisemanagement of resourcestoavoidpermanent depletion. Protectionof forestedareasreferstothesettingof lawstoprotect anareafromunfavourableactivitieswhichmayendanger thebiodiversityandnatural resourcesfoundinthat area.Activitiesthat donot damagetheforest environment likeecotourism, areallowedandencouraged. Thecultureandtraditionsof theindigeniouspeoplewouldalsobepreserved.Therefore, protectedlandscanbeusedfor educational purposes, scientificresearchandecotourism, andallowthefuturegenerationstocontinuetoadmirethediversebiodiversityintheecosystem. AnexampleistheBetungKerihunNatureReservewhichwasset upin1992. It ishometoadiverserangeof animalssuchastheorangutans,honeybearsandgibbons. ThisnaturereservealsoextendsintoBrunei andMalaysiaandisreferredtoasthe‘Heart of Borneoʼ. TheWorldWideFundfor Natureisworkingcloselywiththethreenationstoincreaseprotectedareasandmanagethereservesustainablyinajoint effort toprotect thereserve. Therefore, theprotectionandconservationofrainforestshelpstominimiselossof biodiversity, indigenouscommunitiesandtheircultureaswell asother negativeimpactsof deforestationthat damagetheforestenvironment. ReforestationandAfforestationOnemeasuretohelpmitigatethenegativeimpactsof deforestationisreforestationandafforestation. Reforestationistheprocessof plantingtreesinareaswherethedeforestationhastakenplace. Afforestationreferstotheprocessof plantingtreesinareasthat werenot originallycoveredwithforests. Reforestationprovidesmanybenefitssuchasanincreaseinwildlifehabitat, cleanandabundant water.Reforestationalsohasafaster radiusof effect over alarger landarea. Asfor afforestation, it createsnewcarbondioxidesinkswhichhelpstodecreasetheamount of carbondioxideintheenvironment.Thiswill leadtoreducedglobal warming. For example, therehavebeensomereforestationprojectsintheAmazonrainforest inwhichorganisationspartner withlocalcommunities. Onesuchproject isReforestationinPeru, organisedbyacompanycalledLATALatinAmericaTravel Association) Foundation. LATAFoundationbuysseedlingsfromvariousstakeholdersandpayslocal communitiestoplant trees. Byacquiringthisstrategy, alargeamount of themoneygoesbacktothelocal communities. Asaresult, atotal of 70,000treeswereplantedin2011. Thishelpedtoreducetheamount of carbondioxideintheatmosphereandlessentheeffectsof global warming. Therefore,ReforestationandAfforestationcanimprovesoil fertilityandinthelongterm, it canensureacontinuoussupplyof essential productsandmayhelptosustainplant growthinthearea, makingit oneof themitigationmeasuresfor deforestation.

PublicEducationOnemeasuretohelpmitigatethenegativeimpactsof deforestationispubliceducation.Publiceducationallowspeopleof all agesandfromall walksof lifetounderstanddeforestationandthenegativeimpact i