Deforestation in Rwanda and New England

Deforestation is a problem around the world but perhaps it is most acute in developing nations where local populations often rely exclusively upon nearby sources of biomass to meet basic needs for survival. Such is the case in Rwanda for 87% of the population who work in agriculture, many living as subsistence farmers in the countryside. The competition for land for agriculture to support the population has meant many forests have fallen to make way for fields. Hillsides have been transformed and terraced to maximize the land that can be utilized to grow crops. Remaining forests or stands of trees have become the focal point of additional deforestation to meet people's needs for cooking, heating, building materials, and other necessity's for daily survival. Few alternatives presently exist so the remaining forests continue to fall at an accelerating rate. Human pressure has also encroached on the natural resources that have been set aside in national parks as preservation areas.

The challenges facing Rwanda in stemming the fall of forests are many, but the rewards of doing so are considerable. Falling forests means habitat destruction and increases in the loss of biodiversity. Deforestation also promotes erosion, water run-off and the loss of retention of water in soils, local and global climate change issues, and a host of other environmental problems. Scarcity brought on by a degraded environment also promotes social stress among communities and can hinder efforts to create a cohesive and cooperative society. Initiatives conserving remaining forests and a reforestation program are the cornerstones of ecological change, but alternatives must be found for the population that presently has few options to meet their basic needs for survival. Energy alternatives may include developing both solar and wind technologies where viable and if affordable.

In the United States, issues of deforestation are also of concern. Urban sprawl and development consume approximately 1. 4 million acres of agricultural lands and forests annually. Land values in many New England areas make many forests vulnerable to development because of the potential for enormous profits. Communities that have made efforts to attempt to limit development to protect and preserve forests have run into conflicts with the rights of private landowners who do not want restrictions placed upon the use their property. Development is not the only threat however, as New England forests are also subject to invasion from alien species. Invasive species are a huge problem across the United States and the world, and New England is no exception. No less than sixteen plant species have been identified on the Massachusetts Audubon property next door to Belmont Hill School. Invasive species are often so successful that they crowd out and eliminate indigenous species from their native habitats. Invasive species cost the American public billions of dollars annually to combat. Invasive species are degrading or otherwise destroying native forests at an alarming rate and present a major challenge and threat to forestry management.

Perhaps the biggest threat to New England forests however is posed by the specter of climate change. Modeling of future climatic conditions for New England based upon current trends and predictions of climate change would bring forests a new and daunting set of challenges. Reports of climate change suggest that Boston, Massachusetts will have similar climatic conditions to those of Atlanta, Georgia, over 950 miles to the south. What would such a drastic climate change mean for forests and other ecosystems? Simply put, the days of being famous for beautiful fall foliage, maple syrup, and thriving ski areas may be numbered for New England. Rapid changes of climate as predicted by recent models would not let native species evolve or migrate fast enough to keep up with the changes. Some species would survive although their range would likely be severely limited or migrate north but other species less able to migrate or adapt would most likely go extinct. Such are the stakes for New England forests as we know them today if these models hold true and nothing is done to reverse course.