ELSS - Management strategies in the Amazon rainforest - Mini CS

Question 1

What are the 4 main categories of management strategies?

Answer 1

1. Better monitoring
2. Improved law enforcement
3. More efficient farming practises & reforestation
4. Protected / conservation areas & afforestation; carbon credit trading

Question 2

Explain an example of using remote sensing to monitor deforestation.

Answer 2

• Landsat collecting images since 1970s of clearings, fires, changes to rivers
• DETER collect daily observations of deforestation, fire, veg health -> alerts enforcement officers -> investigate sus activities

Question 3

What are the limitations of using DETER in monitoring deforestation?

Answer 3

• Only detects large forest clearings

Question 4

How effective is DETER?

Answer 4

• Average size of clearing patches declined until smaller clearing dominates

Question 5

Explain an example of more efficient farming practices & reforestation.

Answer 5

Peugeot-ONF Forest Carbon Sink Project:
- Agroforestry - spatial arrangement of native trees and crops
- Using shade trees to produce coffee beans and reduce the effects of climate change
- Brazil nuts harvesting - farmers helped with land maintenance tasks + fire surveillance
- Collab with stakeholders protects project from environmental crime

Question 6

What is agroforestry?

Answer 6

• Combining agriculture and trees

Question 7

Why is Agroforestry good for subsistence farmers in the Peugeot example?

Answer 7

• Provides a sustainable source of food supply and income

Question 8

What conditions do coffee plants need?

Answer 8

• 15-30 degrees celcius
• 1500-2500 mm/yr
• relative humidity 70-90 %

Question 9

How are shade trees advantageous?

Answer 9

• Increase water & nutrient holding potential
• Timber + fruit trees - provide additional income

Question 10

Explain an example of protection and conservation areas & afforestation.

Answer 10

Muvuca planting technique of afforestation:
- Brazil Paris Agreement target is to reforest 12 million hectares of land by 2030
- Lots of people spread seeds of 200 native tree species over burnt land
- Trees grow resilience with stand drought

Question 11

From the Muvuca planting technique how has the tree yield changed?

Answer 11

• 2500 plants per hectare to 5000 after 10 years