Tropical Rainforest - Sustainable Management

- Preserve biodiversity 

- Maintain products e.g. rubber, coffee, chocolate and medicines 

- Long-term economic benefits 

- Protecting the rainforest reduces the greenhouse effect 

- Rainforests help regulate the climate and water cylce 

- Only some trees (e.g. the older or inferior) are felled, most are left standing

- Less damaging than felling all the trees, the overall forest structure is kept

- The forest will be able to regenerate so it can be used in the future

- Very expensive to helicopter log and time consuming

- When new trees are planted to replace the ones that are cut down

- There will be trees for people to use in the future 

- Same types of trees are planted so the species dont die out

- In some countries there are laws to replant trees after felling

- Benefits local people

- Enviromental impacts minimised 

- A source of income for locals

- Raises awareness of conservation issues

- Been succesful in Costa Rica, the largest source of income and 21% of the country is now protected from development

- Educates local people on the impacts of illegal logging

- Educates local people on alternative ways to make money

- Rainforests are in lower income countries

- LICs borrow money from wealthier countries to cope with emergencies 

- Money is paid back with interest

- Logging, farming and mining is allowed to pay back the debt

- A conservation swap means that the countries debt is paid off in exchange for a guarantee the money is spent on conservation

- e.g in 2008 the USA reduced Peru's debt by $25m in exchange for rainforest conservation

- Many countries have set up national parks and nature reserves within rainforests 

- In these areas, logging is restricted

- Lack of funds make it difficult to police the retrictions

- Some countries have set up funds which overseas governments can invest in

- The money can be used to enforce restrictions and promote sustainable use

- e.g. Norway has paid $1bn into Brazil's Amazon Fund to be used for conservation