Land Degredation
Why is the land being developed/degraded? The land in the boreal forest of Banff, Alberta is being degraded due to industrial purposes. The major industrial purposes are illegal logging and clearing for livestock. Much of the degradation is due to legal and illegal logging. The purpose of cutting down the trees is for wood for fires, to make houses, and for paper. This does more harm than good, for the trees that used to be providing clean air to the environment are now dead. And lastly, the development of agriculture causes clearings in the forest. The major animals that are raised for agricultural purposes in the Boreal forest are cattle, hogs, and poultry. Although the livestock can feed people, again it is hurting our environment by chopping down more and more trees.
What effects will it have on the ecosystem? The boreal forest has extremely large levels of carbon contained in it. Therefore, the degradation of the forest releases the carbon into the environment. This has been a huge cause of global warming. Not only is carbon released into the air, but also the trees of the forest are homes for many native animals to the area. This causes problems within the ecosystem, and essentially, a disruption. Also, the trees and other plant life create oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. When trees and other plants are cut down in mass like the Boreal forest is, this makes a lack of clean air for other organisms to thrive off of. Overall, the degradation and development of the Boreal forest causes only harm to the surrounding environment.
What effects will it have on the ecosystem? The boreal forest has extremely large levels of carbon contained in it. Therefore, the degradation of the forest releases the carbon into the environment. This has been a huge cause of global warming. Not only is carbon released into the air, but also the trees of the forest are homes for many native animals to the area. This causes problems within the ecosystem, and essentially, a disruption. Also, the trees and other plant life create oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. When trees and other plants are cut down in mass like the Boreal forest is, this makes a lack of clean air for other organisms to thrive off of. Overall, the degradation and development of the Boreal forest causes only harm to the surrounding environment.