Tree Logging???

Question

I need help with an assignment, what is loggings affect on the environment in short term and long term and who are the major logging companies in the world?

Answer 1

Hi Smithster82,

Some of the short-term affects on the environment are: we lose tree tonnage that would otherwise help to clear the air of pollutants; we lose valuable soil in logged areas because of runoff/erosion; and, because of the runoff, our streams, lakes and other waterways become overrun with silt to the point that they are not able to support aquatic life.  We also lose the cooling affect that trees produce.  Wildlife is reduced and species are threatened because they lose their habitat.

Some of the long-term affects are that our temperatures rise  as the greenhouse gas CO2 that trees would absorb remains in the air and because we no longer have the cooling affect that the trees themselves provide.  We lose whole populations of forest dwellers as they no longer have a place to live and our fisheries are adversely affected because the salmon, trout and other species that must spawn in forest area or that are driven from their typical habitats by rising silt levels in our waters would be greatly reduced, if not wiped out.

Some of the world's major logging companies (not in any particular order) are: King Timber of Canada; Pacific Lumber Co. of USA; Boise-Idaho of USA; Limbang Trading Co. of Malaysia; Abitibi of ?; and Weyerhaeuser of USA (probably the largest).

I hope this helps.  Good luck with your assignment.

Hiking Tony