Humans have cleared forests for centuries. Deforestation is a key mechanism in the Western model of development, which centers profit and capital above all else. While the term “deforestation” has drawn the concern of environmentalists in recent decades, many Indigenous people have long suffered from colonial deforestation. For many nations that experienced slavery and cash crop plantations, like Haiti and Puerto Rico, this was a grievous period. But community-led tree nurseries in Puerto Rico have contributed to immense reforestation success! Using Puerto Rico as a reference, I will guide you through questions of deforestation and conclude by addressing the prospects of reforestation.
I see trees everywhere…so what is the big fuss about deforestation?
Trees have an important role in our Earth community. Their root systems anchor soil, reducing the threat of soil erosion during storms.
They provide habitat and sources of food for wildlife. Soil-dwellers like worms and burrowing mammals live amongst and feed on the roots. Other insects frequent the trunk and can eat into the bark. Bees, bats, and birds find shelter amongst the canopies. They also produce fruits that people depend on, like mango and guava trees in Puerto Rico. Imagine how many different species a single tree can support?
Trees must be protected at all life stages to sustain populations. By protecting trees, we protect numerous lifeforms and preserve the vital ecosystem functions of soil retention, oxygen production and carbon uptake.
What are the implications of deforestation on human health and well-being?
Trees’ positive impacts on human health extend beyond making the oxygen we breathe and storing carbon. They facilitate soil and water retention, which are instrumental to agricultural success.
Resulting food security unburdens people, enabling them to focus on other aspects of their lives — people can better feed themselves and profit from their crops to afford basic necessities. Farmers can utilize increased earnings to invest in their futures leading to educational advancements and economic growth.
From their roots to their leaves, trees also have medicinal properties. In Puerto Rico, Rutaceae or “naranja” leaves are used to treat depression and Laminaceae or “menta” leaves are used to remedy sinus and gastric diseases.
How does Western “development” and capitalism play into deforestation?
The Western notion of “development” is profit-seeking, viewing Earth’s resources as marketable goods or removable obstacles rather than key partners in our communities. This mentality has created impressive cities but has greatly driven global warming. Although you may see trees dispersed throughout the city, their numbers are only a fraction of what existed before development — misguided by colonization and industrialization — occurred.
In Puerto Rico, urban area development allowed rural nature to flourish, but if unchecked, those urban landscapes will continue to expand as people seek more space and property. Indigenous cultures have long held connections to and respect for Earth Beings such as mountains and rivers, as well as plants and animals. With global Westernization and industrialization, more people prioritize capitalistic gain over the well-being of the natural world.
But a reason many resource-rich countries have not sustainably achieved “ideal development” (ie. better quality of life, access to clean water, and higher education rates) is that international forces have always sought control. Outside forces exploit other countries’ natural resources, detracting funds from internal ideal development, to control their resources. Within 10 years after the U.S. acquired Puerto Rico, they vamped up sugar production and forced Puerto Ricans into slavery-like conditions. American companies established their plantations in a dry region of the island, but sugar production requires a lot of water. They built dams that redirected water runoff from the mountains, but left behind erosion buildup that has been costly to mitigate.
How can we measure deforestation and reforestation over time?
In Puerto Rico, community members and reforestation organizations like Para la Naturaleza utilize nurseries before planting trees. Others track deforestation and reforestation by counting the number of trees present per acre and comparing totals across different years.
ArcGIS is a geographic information system (GIS) used for mapping. Scientists upload data measurements to make publicly available GIS maps. By comparing maps over time, you can identify trends such as changing forest cover patterns.
Map of forest cover changes from 1980’s-2014 of Puerto Rico (Source: Yuan, 2017)
Is reforestation a plausible and successful solution?
Reforestation is imperative to the future of forests. In some nations like Haiti, local community members lead the reforestation movement with NGO support. Tree nurseries are the key. By closely tending to young trees, participants and leaders can ensure the seedling grows, then plant them over time. This sustainable process of community planting has proven successful.
Puerto Rico was once abundant with trees. It was a fully forested tropical forest with over 500 native tree species. By 1940, only 6% of forests remained after plantation agriculture. Between 1950 and 1990, migration to urban areas sparked agricultural abandonment. Over a 30-40 year period, “alien species” that could inhabit post-agricultural conditions — no longer suitable to native species — thrived. By creating ideal conditions like shade from direct sunlight, alien species facilitated the re-establishment of native species. This led to the largest forest recovery event anywhere in the world.
In the case of Puerto Rico, urbanization led to a natural course of reforestation. But, urbanization has its own downfalls. Therefore intentional and dedicated community tree planting provides hope that if we reduce global deforestation rates and shift to sustainable development, we can restore vital forests.