Panama Deforestation Essay

Panama rainforests are being threatened! But you may be wondering where this is happening, and by what? Panama is a country in Central America that sits between Costa Rica and Colombia, and is the bridge of land that links North America to South America. Panama has the largest tree cover in Central America. Panama has been struggling with rapid deforestation for many years, but each year it gets worse! And just what is deforestation? “Deforestation refers to the clearing of a forest, entirely removing it to put something else in its place.”(Hancock) This essay will reveal the effects deforestation has on Panama, why the deforestation is happening, and what is being done to stop it. Deforestation in Panama is a large growing issue and Panama's

There are 7 different groups of indigenous people in Panama and while some of their land has been protected, a lot of it has not. Deforestation has a very negative effect on these groups because it takes away territory they live on and rely on for resources. Forests of the World says “Deforestation endangers a subsistence of Natural Resources dependent on indigenous peoples.”(Panama #3) It is extremely important to protect the indigenous peoples' land because it has been theirs for centuries and they rely on it for so many things and loss of land means loss of culture and the ability to live in the way they are used to and need to to survive.. Another thing deforestation in Panama affects are the plants and animals. Having enough healthy forests is very important for the continued survival of many species of plants and animals. Forest cover provides food, homes, places to hide as well as providing oxygen and food for the Panamanians. Panama is home to thousands of species of plants and animals and amongst them are many emblematic species like the jaguar and harpy eagle so it is particularly important to protect these forests. Science daily states

Some of the causes of deforestation, which the Rainforest foundation US states “Main drivers of deforestation in Panama include cattle ranching and logging which are moving together as the agricultural Frontier expands into the primary forests.”(panama #1) While there are more causes for Panama's deforestation, these are just the main ones. With all these things causing deforestation, how much of a problem is it? Deforestation is a growing issue, for example Forest of the world states “deforestation is a major problem exhausting panama’s natural resources.”(panama #3) Panama's natural resources are extremely important, and deforestation is taking all that away and that is a huge problem. Panama has been losing a large percent of forest over the last 20 years. How much forest has Panama lost in the last 20 years exactly? According to Global forest watch “in Panama from 2001 to 2021, 6.1% of tree cover loss occurred in areas where the dominant drivers of loss resulted in deforestation.”(panama #2) Panama's forests are extremely important and they are rapidly decreasing, especially in the last 20 years. Panamanian forests need to be saved, no amount of money gained is worth the consequences we will have if we lose