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Deforestation In Australia

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Deforestation in Australia
What is the issue?
Australia is among one of the wealthiest nations. It has a small population of almost 24million but has a high rate of extensive deforestation and degradation since the later 18th century during European settlement. Most of Australia, around 7.6million km2,is covered in dry desert unsuitable for forest growth, but the thriving coastal and hills areas have seen decline in forest cover and quality over the last 60 years, especially between 1999 and 200 where an average of 325,900 hectares were being wiped out each year. Once European colonists began to expand in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, deforestation and clearance occurred widely along the most fertile soils near the coast. Due to …show more content…

The smaller and more isolated the habitats are, the less likely they are to survive, particularly animals, as their habitats are being destroyed, leaving them home-less. Australia holds around 2336 known species of amphibians, mammals, reptiles and birds showing from figures of the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. 67.5% of these do not exist in other countries and 8.9% are threatened. All animals in Australia are at risk of becoming threatened due to deforestation and land clearance as their habitats are being wiped out and water is being adapted.
Deforestation also affects the increase of salinity of the soil, when the saline drains from these areas is affects the downstream water quality. It has been shown that around 7% of Western Australia is being faced with this issue due to deforestation. Studies in Australia’s tropics show that soils only have a limited capacity to recover after the impact of …show more content…

This includes planting pine forests for controlled removal of trees. The Australian government are taking out $2.3 million to reduce and help deforestation in the Asia-pacific region. In March 2008, Kevin Rudd and PNG Prime Minister, Michael Somare signed a PNG-Australia forest carbon partnership and a month later Climate Change Minister announced $3 million to help reduce greenhouse gases emitted from deforestation.
How has science helped?
Through science, we have been able to see the damage that is being done through a series of different tests including testing the soil quality and water salinity levels. It has helped us monitor these levels over a number of years. Satellite readings have helped view the land that has been disturbed and see which areas have been affected by it, they also show weather readings and are able to give required information for whether the area is suitable for replantation.
What can we do as an

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