Causes And Effects Of Deforestation In Myanmars

According to Sassan Saatchi of Caltechs Jet Propulsion Lab and Colleagues, there are about 32,222,000 ha hectares or 49 of forests in Myanmar. An average of 372,250 ha or 0.95% of forest have been lost annually between 1990 and 2010. The organization states that within the period of 20 years (1990-2010), around 7,445,000 ha or 19.0% of the total forest has been cleared in Myanmar. Myanmar is one of the top ten countries that are happening highest deforestation rate in the world, and its rank is seven.The Rangoon-based Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) alerts that Myanmar is meeting a deforestation crisis because of natural disasters (hurricanes, floods, drought and fires), human activities (logging, dam building, slash-and-burn agriculture, cutting trees for fuel, mining operations, clearing land for livestock grazing and oil extraction) and overpopulation. If deforestation cannot be controlled by government, the result could be very disastrous.

It has negative impacts on environmental degradation, and it can cause direct biodiversity loss.Exporting timber and increasing population are the main causes of deforestation in Myanmar. The Global Witness Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) manipulated that Myanmar shipped at least 1 mil.cu.m (million cubic meters) of timber into China in 2002. According to Central Statistical Organization, the government exported 864,000 metric tons of timber and got US$600 million from it between 2010 and 2011. Moreover, UNFAO reports that around 70% of rural populations of Burma or at least 30 million rely on forests for their basic needs in 2009.

The government and people do not aware that if they cut a lot of trees for their profits, it will affect on ecosystem, and a lot of natural disasters will happen in Myanmar.The purpose of this paper is to show causes and effects of deforestation in Myanmar. In particular, the impact of climate changes is very serious problem in Myanmar due to deforestation. This paper will discuss the plans of the government to solve these problems, and it will also provide some possible suggestions to protect the forests.

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