7.  Deforestation

Not too far in the distant past deforestation was measured in ha/year.  It is now measured in ha/week.  A large percentage of land on the islands is privately-owned and this is where much of the forests are being cleared for private and commercial development.  Clearing for human settlements (this includes squatting), infrastructure, commercial activities (this includes the illegal cultivation of marijuana), bauxite mining, quarrying, charcoal burning, illegal timber harvesting, and damage by hurricanes are among the factors currently contributing to deforestation and forest degradation in the region (FAO UN, 2014).

Mangroves, not normally associated with deforestation, are just as important to the ecosystem. They are being removed by selective logging (legal and illegal), reclamation for land use, and conversion to profitable land use such as tourism.  Removing mangroves affects the coastal regions, all fauna inhabiting the mangrove forests, and removes the weather barriers that offer protection against extreme natural events.

Forest cover change differs among the various islands and states. The reasons for this vary from agriculture, mining, illegal timber removal, charcoal production, private and commercial construction,  tourism accommodation in the form of hotels, casinos, golf courses, hurricane damage – the list goes on.  The point here being the island nations are feeling the effects of growing national debt, the loss of tourism and the income generated by the tourism industry.

Jamaica has less than 25% (8% according to the FAO UN, 2014) of its natural forest left; the majority of it is fragmented secondary growth with untouched areas in the inaccessible mountainous regions.  Tourism, bauxite mining and agriculture are the largest income producers for the country.  Bauxite mining is the number one cause for the high deforestation rate as seen in the graph above.  Once roads are cleared to provide access to the mining areas the coal burners, loggers and yam stick traders move in and further decimate the trees in & around the mining areas.

One of the most hideous examples of deforestation is the country of Haiti.  Less than 1% of its original old growth forest remains in hard to reach mountainous regions.  With the lack of forest cover in Haiti, it has become a nation of on-going mass extinction.  To witness this in real time is a tragedy beyond comprehension.

The border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic is clearly delineated by the lack of trees on the side of Haiti. Source: NASA

An excellent expose on the rampant illegal burning and clearing of Sierra de Bahoruco National Park habitat in the Dominican Republic can be read here.

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