TIFFANY MURRAY 10/0618/2547 GEO 112- MS.

BHOLA Describe the role forestry plays in the development of the Guyanese economy. The forests of Guyana are diverse, dynamic and are the basis of life in Guyana and in some cases the world. They modify the climate, providing oxygen, and shade and soil stability. They are used by a large number of humans: individuals, Aboriginal groups, environmental organizations, scientists, trappers, recreationalists, and the forest industry. Forest Ecosystems are responsible for much of our Climate Physiology. The Ecosystem is a core function of a working Forest However, simply planting trees will not create a working Forest Ecosystem. To accomplish that you must have virtually all the plant species that Nature provides from the smallest Flowers through woody shrubs and understory trees. Then you add the Birds, Animals and Insects. Only then will the synergy of these elements begin a working Forest Ecosystem. The working Forest Ecosystem is a virtual clean climate machine. It cleans the air removing particulate matter; it cools the air and adds moisture. The Forests absorb existing air separating the elements freeing and releasing the Oxygen disposing of the minor elements and using the CO2 for food to grow. Forests release water vapor which rises and forms clouds .They will reduce the effects of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide gases that contribute to the "greenhouse effect" by trapping solar radiation thus raising the temperature of the earth, conserve energy by reducing heating (by screening cool winds) and cooling costs (by shading buildings in the hot times) by up to 50%, give people a psychological boost - studies show they make us feel good, Increase our property values by 20% also give wildlife a place to live and reduce sedimentation and regulate flooding and drought periods in watercourses. In Guyana National Development Strategy (NDS) points out that about 168,000 square kilometres, or more than 75 percent of Guyana's land area, are forested. Moreover, although many of the plant and animal species, which abound in Guyana's forests, are as yet unidentified, it is known that our forest ecosystems are a most significant reservoir of biodiversity. In addition, our forests protect our soils from erosion, regulate and purify our water supplies and, most important, ensure environmental stability. On top of all this, the forests yield wood and non-timber products which, if commercialized, could greatly assist the country's social and economic development. Indeed, the forest resources of the

country can play an important role in transforming and developing our relatively uninhabited hinterland. The forest industries sub-sector possesses characteristics which are capable of providing the economic stimulus which Guyana requires at this stage of its development: capital requirements of the sector range from very low to very high, technological requirements range from very simple to very sophisticated; and individual forest industries may be either labour or capital intensive. In other words, forest industries can be accommodated at any stage in the country's economic evolution, and can be profitable to both the moderately and well-endowed investor. The forest is known as the lungs of the earth, Guyanese benefit a lot from our very own natural rain forest until the 1920s, forests were often logged and abandoned. Now, across the country an average of 1.7 billion seedlings are planted annually. That translates into six seedlings planted for every tree harvested. In addition, billions of additional seedlings are regenerated naturally. Forestry helps water quality by carefully manage areas called watersheds (areas where we collect our drinking water) and riparian zones (land bordering rivers, streams, and lakes). These are places where maintaining water quality is the primary concern for foresters. Forests actually help to clean water and get it ready for us to drink. The trees, the soil, and bacteria are all part of this process. Forest cover protects and nurtures the soils that are the key to water retention, filtering, and quality. The provision of clean water, conversion of carbon dioxide (atmospheric carbon) into wood (stored carbon) through the process of photosynthesis (carbon sequestration), and the maintenance of fertile soils that support healthy and productive ecosystems are critical processes performed by our forests. Forestry helps offsets air pollution whereby foresters nurture forests, which are sometimes called "the gills of the planet." One mature tree absorbs approximately 13 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. For every ton of wood a forest grows, it removes 1.47 tons of carbon dioxide and replaces it with 1.07 tons of oxygen. Forestry helps reduce catastrophic wildfires. At the turn of the century, wildfires annually burned across 20 to 50 million acres of the country each year. Through education, prevention, and control, the amount of wildfires has been reduced to about two to five million acres a year--a reduction of 90%. By marking and removing excess fuels, such as underbrush and some trees, foresters can modify forests in order to make them more resilient to fire. Forestry helps wildlife, wildlife employ a variety of management techniques to benefit wildlife, including numerous endangered species. For example, thinning and harvesting create conditions that stimulate the growth of food sources for wildlife. Openings created by harvesting provide habitat for deer and a variety of songbirds. Thinning can be used to accelerate growth and development of older trees that are favored by owls and other species. In order to enhance salmon habitat, foresters also carry out strategic tree plantings and monitor forest health along streams in order to keep the water cool and reduce sediments. Foresters manage forests that provide recreational benefits to communities. Forests are important areas for such recreationists as

birdwatchers, hikers, nature photographers, horseback riders, skiers, snowmobilers, and campers. And because foresters put water values high on their list of priorities, the rivers and lakes in forested areas provide such recreational opportunities as fishing, canoeing, and rafting. In the Urban Environment foresters manage forests and trees to benefit communities in many ways. Forests in urban areas reduce storm water runoffs, improve air quality, and reduce energy consumption. For example, three well-placed mature trees around a house can cut air-conditioning costs by 10-50 percent. Renewable and energyefficient building products some forests for timber and produce a renewable resource because trees can be replanted. Other building materials, such as steel, iron, and copper, can be reused and recycled but not replaced. Wood is a renewable resource which, in addition to being recyclable, can be produced anew for generations to come on sustainable managed forestlands. Recycling and processing wood products also requires much less energy than does the processing of many other non-renewable materials. On the other hand the forest help family forestland owners, who own 54 percent of all the forests in the US, understand the benefits of managing their forests in an environmentally friendly manner. Better management of private forests means that those forests will remain healthy and productive. Many endangered species spent at least part of their time on private land, more than 80 percent of our nation's total precipitation falls first on private lands and 70 percent of eastern watersheds run through private lands and providing natural resource managers are dependent on forest soils for growing and managing forests and, to a large extent, forest soils are dependent on resource professionals and managers. Foresters' success in growing forests and producing forest products is dependent on their ability to understand soil properties and to then match species with soils and to prescribe activities that not only promote forest growth but also enhance and protect soil productivity and prevent soil erosion. Forests provide a wide range of economic and social benefits for instance through employment, value generated from the processing and trade of forest products, and investments in the forest sector. Benefits also include the hosting and protection of sites and landscapes of high cultural, spiritual, or recreational value. Economic benefits can usually be valued in monetary terms but the social functions of forests are more difficult to measure and can vary considerably among countries, depending on their traditions and level of development. Maintaining and enhancing these functions is a part of sustainable forest management. Wood and timber harvested from native forests and plantations can be used for many purposes, including house construction, infrastructure (e.g. bridges and railways), fencing, heating fuel, and fibre for paper-making. High quality timber from our native forests is highly prized by furniture makers and as hardwood flooring and decking.

Woodchips are a by-product of timber harvesting in native forests and plantations, and are sought after both locally and internationally for use in high quality paper products. The majority of our current eucalypt plantations are being purpose-grown for woodchips using species selected especially for their high fibre yield and suitability for pulping as the base ingredient in paper manufacturing. While other building materials can provide shelter, warmth and comfort, none are renewable like wood. Once trees are harvested, the same areas can be replanted and new trees grown. Other resources, such as clay for bricks, iron ore for steel, or bauxite for aluminum require a much greater energy input to transform them from raw material to usable products. Compared to these other common building materials, timber not only stores carbon, but it embodies much less energy in its processing and manufacture. Wood is not the only useful product that can be obtained from trees; the leaves can provide chemicals with useful medicinal properties, while the flowers and fruit produce seed which can be used for land rehabilitation and re-vegetation, or even food in some cases. The number of direct and indirect jobs provided by the forestry sector is vital to the future of many regional towns. The timber industry is often a major employer in rural areas and integral to the long-term viability of regional communities. These regions often have processing and manufacturing businesses based on value-adding logs into sawn timber and products like fibre board and pulp for paper manufacturing. In addition, indirect employment includes suppliers of services to the industry (fuel, mechanical repairs and contractors) and the flow-on businesses and services such as doctors, and schools that serve any economically-viable community. Forests are living, they are renewable, and provide a wide range of benefits to all who interact with them. A tree can be harvested and a new tree grown in its place in the space of a single human lifetime. The sustainable management of our forests is aimed at ensuring there are enough resources for our generation, while laying the foundations for future generations.

Conclusion

Guyana is largely covered by forests and many of these are still intact. This fact by itself is significant in a time that most of the world's tropical rainforests are under pressure. However, intactness is only one criterion for designing a system of protected areas. Another criterion would be to protect species and ecosystems, which are typically Guyanese. A wider perspective is required to place Guyana in a Geotropically context.

To this end the forest composition of 258 plots of 1 ha scattered over the Geotropic was examined. The first remarkable conclusion is that Guyana's forests, while species-rich compared to temperate forests, are poor compared to forests in Western and Central Amazonia Tree diversity generally seems to drop when moving from west to east through the Amazon basin, with the poorest plots in the peripheral areas in the North, far South and East.

References
Books: Nalini Kumar, Saxena Naresh, Alagh Yoginder, Mitra Kinsuk, 2000, Alleviating Poverty through Forest Development, 1st Edition, World Bank Operation, Evaluation Department. Konijnendijk C. Cecil, 2005, Urban Forests & Trees, Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York,

Websites: Author Unknown, Date Published Unknown, Forestry Economy, www.mongabay.com/reference/country.../guyana/ECONOMY.html Author Unknown, Date Published Unknown, Forestry Fact, www.forestfacts.org/l_3/forests_5.htm