West Africa (where Mr Golding used to live) used to have vast rainforests which one hundred years ago covered 50 million hectares of land. Today they are fast becoming part of history as only 3 million hectares remains.
Cleared to build ships, furniture, feed hungry mouths and extract valuable minerals and gems to export to the West, they are now virtually all gone. While West Africa depends on money from deforestation to support its struggling economy, it also is suffering the effects of this forest clearance.
Look at the graph above to see just how much rainforest has been cleared in each country.Ghana is one West African country which is affected severely by deforestation.
8JM HOMEWORK: DECISION TIME
Yummy Burger Ltd have put a proposal forward to the Ghanain government, offering them money to clear 1000 hectares of land for a large cattle ranch. The felled trees would then be used for their wood to produce furniture and paper which could then be sold to other countries. Yummy Burger Ltd argue that this would make plenty of money for Ghana and therefore would be a profitable scheme. The land required contains 1300 different species of plant and animal and is also home to several indiginous tribes.
DECISION
You have been given the role of one of the following stakeholders
1) Greenpeace representative
2) Representative for one of the local tribes
3) Head of Yummy Burger Ltd
4) A Ghanain furniture manufacturer
You should write a letter addressed to the Ghanain Environment Minister, Kwadwo Adjei Darko expressing whether you think this proposal should be accepted or rejected and why. You must explain all your reasons thoroughly within your letter. If you are in favour of the proposal you may want to offer some suggestions of how to solve some of the problems your forest clearance may cause.
