#10

When it comes to deforestation different states have their own criteria and regulations for environmental licensing of agricultural activities that involve deforestation in the United States. The main regulation in the US is the Lacey Act, which is a law that’s almost 100 years old that had been put back into effect in 2008. This act combats trafficking in illegal plants and wildlife and therefore closed the entire U.S. market to illegally sourced wood. While there is still the possibility of black-market schemes happening these efforts have greatly reduced logging.  Focusing on my specific topic of deforestation in the Amazon forests, currently, there are no regulations whatsoever on tree clearing and all the devastating effects that come with it. While there are some laws that exist which authorize logging in designated areas only, illegal logging is widespread in Brazil and several Amazonian countries. There was a study done by a Brazilian commission that showed about 80% of all logging in the Amazon was done illegally during the late 90s. Since then not much has changed because of the high demand for products and profit that come from forest clearing. Not only is clearing happening in non designated areas the amount that they cut down isn’t regulated either meaning that in those non designated areas they are cutting down massive amounts of trees and clearing out way more land than they should. Even with a multitude of programs and organizations that try and combat deforestation the pure effort of volunteering is not nearly enough. The government in South America and those in collaboration need to increase monitoring and prevention of total destruction of a much needed habitat. (277)