Logging and Deforestation

Cesar Rodrigues, 16, moves freshly cut wood planks at a saw mill in Brazil's western state of Rondonia, Oct. 27, 2004. About one-fifth of the state, which borders Bolivia, has been deforested since intensive settlement began in the 1970s. The main highway was paved in the 1960s, and as any satellite map can show, there is a direct link of road construction and forest destruction. As roads improve, migration increases and forest is cleared to make way got ranches and towns. A majority of its citizens now live in urban areas. It is a main exporter of wood, as well as a significant producer of both coffee and and as a result of deforestation, cattle is important. (Australfoto/Douglas Engle)

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Cesar Rodrigues, 16, moves freshly cut wood planks at a saw mill in Brazil's western state of Rondonia, Oct. 27, 2004. About one-fifth of the state, which borders Bolivia, has been deforested since intensive settlement began in the 1970s. The main highway was paved in the 1960s, and as any satellite map can show, there is a direct link of road construction and forest destruction. As roads improve, migration increases and forest is cleared to make way got ranches and towns. A majority of its citizens now live in urban areas. It is a main exporter of wood, as well as a significant producer of both coffee and and as a result of deforestation, cattle is important. (Australfoto/Douglas Engle)

brazil amazon rondonia rainforest environment deforestation logging