■ Global warming and associated changes in precipitation patterns, causing
climatic zones to shift toward the poles.
■ The construction of highways and the disruptions caused by the
conversion of land for agricultural, industrial, and/or residential purposes;
these intrusions into the coniferous forest act as barriers to organisms and
isolate populations of the same species. Species can be isolated from
feeding grounds, migration routes, and breeding opportunities, thus
limiting and reducing gene pool diversity.
■ Excessive degree of trapping and hunting, which creates an imbalance
within the ecosystem, causing a negative impact on biodiversity.
SOLUTIONS
– Companies can introduce “zero deforestation” policies that clean up
their supply chains (e.g., holding their suppliers accountable for
producing commodities like timber, beef, soy, palm oil, and paper in a
way that has a minimal impact on climate).
– Companies can set targets to maximize the use of recycled wood, pulp,
paper, and fiber in their products. For the nonrecycled products they
buy, companies should ensure that any virgin fiber used is certified by a
third party certification system (e.g., the Forest Stewardship Council).
– People need to respect indigenous peoples’ rights to traditional lands and
self-determination.
– People should choose recycled or certified sustainable wood products.
– In the United States, laws like the Endangered Species Act, the
Wilderness Act, the Lacey Act, and the Roadless Rule help protect
forests and stop illegal wood products from entering the U.S.
marketplace. Other laws, such as the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species (CITES), protects forests and the endangered
species that rely on forest habitats.
– “Forests for Climate” is an international funding mechanism designed to
protect tropical forests. Developing countries with tropical forests can
make commitments to protect their forests in exchange for the
opportunity to receive funding for capacity-building efforts and
national-level reductions in deforestation emissions. This provides a
strong incentive for developing countries to continually improve their
forest protection programs.
