Big Businesses and the forests?

Question

I am doing a personal response essay and I am trying to find a fact about the number of forests cut down for big businesses

Answer 1

Although I can't help you with exact numbers, I can tell you a few general break downs. Also, I am a Industrial forester (with a degree in forest managment", I work with loggers, I am part of what you call "Big business".

I'm not sure where your from, but I'm assuming an English speaking country...

2/3rds of the lumber consumed by the US comes from Canada

Canada and the US have almost identical amounts of productive forest land

Around 40% of USA forest land is owned by the government, but private (big company) forests own much less, but still provide the bulk of US domestic lumber. So, they have to cut there forest harder, more often, generaly.

A Typical acre of Spruce&fir under paper managment will be cut every 40 years, over and over.

Most logged forests in the North East have been cut 2-6 times in the best with very little evidence of ill effect (on forest grow and resilience).

Under proper forest managment, Forests will always remain forests. Even if they are clear cut they will grow back, or will be planted. "Big business" is dependent on this fact, or they will loose their future growing stock.

Deforestation is the result of agriculture, urban sprawl, illegal logging (often for fuel wood by native residents), and a number of other non-big buisness types of activities.

There are some bad "big business" types out their.

Ours is Certified by the Rain forest Alliance and are Audited annual for sustainability and Environmental friendliness. Its kind of like an organic sticker for wood.

Hope this helps a little.

Answer 2

Start by watching this video. Then look at the Greenpeace site.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWWNLvgU4...

'According to the non profit group Greenpeace, many wild animals and trees in more than 2.9 million acres of rainforest were destroyed in the 2004-2005 crop season in order to grow crops that are used to feed chickens and other animals in factory farms'

http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/search/node...

See here, Rainforest Facts

http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm