By Bruce Grayson Yee
Not too long ago, I visited the John Crow Mountains up in Portland. Amid the tranquility and serenity, after not hearing a single man-made object, engine, or device of any sort, I had a stunning revelation. The rain forests are almost gone! I remembered someone saying at one time Jamaica was almost entirely covered by tropical rain forest, majestic places of green beauty and abundant life. I took another look around as far as the eye could see there was a seemingly endless collage of trees and plant species, standing strong in their resilience and glory. This was a far cry from smog-inflicted, mostly treeless Kingston, where I reside. Just where have all the trees gone? The answers, I found, are a shameful example of human exploitation.
Not too long ago, I visited the John Crow Mountains up in Portland. Amid the tranquility and serenity, after not hearing a single man-made object, engine, or device of any sort, I had a stunning revelation. The rain forests are almost gone! I remembered someone saying at one time Jamaica was almost entirely covered by tropical rain forest, majestic places of green beauty and abundant life. I took another look around as far as the eye could see there was a seemingly endless collage of trees and plant species, standing strong in their resilience and glory. This was a far cry from smog-inflicted, mostly treeless Kingston, where I reside. Just where have all the trees gone? The answers, I found, are a shameful example of human exploitation.
Deforestation by definition is the clearing of large areas of forest by means of logging, burning, or strip mining. The cleared trees are often processed as charcoal, or used as lumber. Local forests are mercilessly cleared away to create pastures for livestock, farmland, and housing areas. Another problem at hand in Jamaica is strip mining, a highly destructive procedure directly linked to bauxite mining. As the name suggests, strip mining consists of ‘stripping’ all vegetation from the existing topsoil to access mineral deposits. Having been the victim of these inflictions for many years, Jamaica faces dire consequences as a result.
Drastic and large scale removal of forests is directly linked to accelerated soil erosion, making the land extremely susceptible to flash flooding. There are no greater examples of this in modern times than Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, and Hurricane Dean in 2007. Heavy deforestation in Jamaica’s mountainous regions in combination with torrential rain and surging winds set the stage for extreme flooding and landslides. This resulted in the deaths and displacement of scores of people.
As inland forest removal for agricultural purposes steadily increase, massive areas of topsoil, unsupported by trees and their roots quickly become unstable and easily wash away with heavy seasonal rainfall. The resulting deluge, heavy with sediment, rages toward coastal areas. These areas are often cleared of all vegetation in the interest of tourism and provide no shield for delicate coral reefs. As a result, miles of reef hundreds of years old are destroyed, along with their delicate ecosystems.
But the single, most destructive force behind Jamaica’s deforestation is bauxite mining. To effectively mine bauxite, large areas of otherwise undisturbed forest must be removed completely from the topsoil. Removal of large mineral deposits and all vegetation make these areas extremely prone to landslides. Additionally, since bauxite mining sites are often practically inaccessible, more trees have to be felled for the construction of access roads. Coming in second only to tourism, bauxite is a crucial income source to our small island nation. Bauxite is a key component in the making of aluminum and is exported to a number of foreign countries. Sadly, our dependence on this mineral will continue to alter our landscape for generations to come.
Why trees are so important to life? Firstly, our tropical rain forests are instrumental in providing good air quality through photosynthesis, the process in which plants release oxygen via sunlight. If there were no trees, air pollutants generated by humans would quickly overcome the landscape. Secondly,
There are no easy solutions to fixing Jamaica’s deforestation problems. We are inevitably a nation reliant upon foreign income from both the tourism and bauxite industries. Both add to the annihilation of our forests. As we experience yet another population boom, further destruction of our precious rain forests will occur through land development. Governmental intervention is necessary, and without a minute to spare. If we must exploit our home, let us do so with wisdom. Tighter regulations must be put into place, and more places need to be protected. More programs need to be implemented in the replanting of trees. Without immediate action, Jamaica as we know it will be lost for all time. I urge you to act. without trees, rain would be a scarce commodity indeed. In the process of evapotranspiration, water is absorbed in excess through the roots of trees. After evaporating into the air through leaves, clouds are moistened and rain is created. A typical tree releases 250 to 400 or more gallons of water back into the air daily. Imagine the potential rain a forest full of thousands of trees could produce. Through evapotranspiration, trees determine weather. Perhaps the greatest example of deforestation affecting weather patterns is Australia. The continent has become for the most part a barren wasteland. Stripped of all its forests and practically all its trees, Australia produces very little inland rain.
Drastic and large scale removal of forests is directly linked to accelerated soil erosion, making the land extremely susceptible to flash flooding. There are no greater examples of this in modern times than Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, and Hurricane Dean in 2007. Heavy deforestation in Jamaica’s mountainous regions in combination with torrential rain and surging winds set the stage for extreme flooding and landslides. This resulted in the deaths and displacement of scores of people.
As inland forest removal for agricultural purposes steadily increase, massive areas of topsoil, unsupported by trees and their roots quickly become unstable and easily wash away with heavy seasonal rainfall. The resulting deluge, heavy with sediment, rages toward coastal areas. These areas are often cleared of all vegetation in the interest of tourism and provide no shield for delicate coral reefs. As a result, miles of reef hundreds of years old are destroyed, along with their delicate ecosystems.
But the single, most destructive force behind Jamaica’s deforestation is bauxite mining. To effectively mine bauxite, large areas of otherwise undisturbed forest must be removed completely from the topsoil. Removal of large mineral deposits and all vegetation make these areas extremely prone to landslides. Additionally, since bauxite mining sites are often practically inaccessible, more trees have to be felled for the construction of access roads. Coming in second only to tourism, bauxite is a crucial income source to our small island nation. Bauxite is a key component in the making of aluminum and is exported to a number of foreign countries. Sadly, our dependence on this mineral will continue to alter our landscape for generations to come.
Why trees are so important to life? Firstly, our tropical rain forests are instrumental in providing good air quality through photosynthesis, the process in which plants release oxygen via sunlight. If there were no trees, air pollutants generated by humans would quickly overcome the landscape. Secondly,
There are no easy solutions to fixing Jamaica’s deforestation problems. We are inevitably a nation reliant upon foreign income from both the tourism and bauxite industries. Both add to the annihilation of our forests. As we experience yet another population boom, further destruction of our precious rain forests will occur through land development. Governmental intervention is necessary, and without a minute to spare. If we must exploit our home, let us do so with wisdom. Tighter regulations must be put into place, and more places need to be protected. More programs need to be implemented in the replanting of trees. Without immediate action, Jamaica as we know it will be lost for all time. I urge you to act. without trees, rain would be a scarce commodity indeed. In the process of evapotranspiration, water is absorbed in excess through the roots of trees. After evaporating into the air through leaves, clouds are moistened and rain is created. A typical tree releases 250 to 400 or more gallons of water back into the air daily. Imagine the potential rain a forest full of thousands of trees could produce. Through evapotranspiration, trees determine weather. Perhaps the greatest example of deforestation affecting weather patterns is Australia. The continent has become for the most part a barren wasteland. Stripped of all its forests and practically all its trees, Australia produces very little inland rain.