Sustainable Management of the Taiga (Edexcel GCSE Geography B)
Revision Note
Written by: Bridgette Barrett
Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn
Challenges of Sustainability
There are a number of threats to the taiga including:
Logging
Mining
Drilling for oil and gas
Acid rain
Pests and diseases
Wildfires
Management of these threats is a challenge because:
In 2014 deforestation cleared 12 million hectares in Siberia alone, much of this was illegal logging
In 2009 US oil pipelines were responsible for the spillage of 2 million gallons of oil into the environment
Increasing demand for energy is leading to more exploration of the taiga for oil and gas
Many taiga species migrate and so do not stay within protected areas
Acid rain travels over long distances and so the cause needs to be tackled at the source not within the taiga
Sustainable management of the taiga
Sustainable forestry: where in areas of logging the area is replanted with native species (afforestation) and natural forests are not converted into tree plantations
It balances the needs of the current population, environment, wildlife and indigenous communities whilst ensuring that the forests are maintained for future generations
Ensures that the forests are replanted at a faster rate than they are used
Boreal Forest Platform (BFP): is an example of industry (IKEA) together with NGOs such as WWF working together to ensure logging can continue without the loss of biodiversity or intact forests
National parks and protected areas: areas protected by the government to conserve the wildlife, environment and resources for indigenous communities, examples include:
The proposed Dvinsky Reserve in Russia will protect over 300,000 hectares of intact forest
Cape Breton Highlands National Park protects 75% of the taiga in northern Cape Breton, Canada
Designated wilderness areas: in the USA in these areas motorised vehicles are banned, as are logging and road building
Conflicting Views on Management of the Taiga
The main conflicting views regarding the taiga are people and organisations who:
Believe it should be conserved and protected
Believe it should be exploited for its resources: wood, oil and gas
There is often conflict between these groups
Conflicting Views on the Management of the Taiga
Group/organisation | Area of conflict |
|---|---|
Indigenous communities | Expansion of oil and gas exploration has forced indigenous communities into smaller and smaller areas of land Areas for hunting are reduced as are animal populations Increased air and water pollution have an impact on health |
Oil and gas companies | Increased demand for energy has led to exploitation of areas like the Alberta Tar Sands Has led to water pollution and deforestation. Exploitation uses large quantities of water Companies state that they are partnering with indigenous communities to minimise impacts. |
Visitors and tourists | Want to use the areas for recreation and leisure Brings money into the area May leave litter which can cause wildfires Scare or disturb wildlife |
National Park authorities | Role is to try and balance the needs of different groups Challenge due to opposing views |
Environmental and scientific groups | Argue that oil, gas and HEP exploration are damaging to the ecosystem and are impacting on food webs: such as the decline in woodland caribou populations in Canada |
HEP companies | Want to exploit the areas for HEP due to increase demand for energy This will mean felling and clearance of trees for building the dams and access roads Large areas will also be flooded for reservoirs |
Logging companies | Potential for large supplies of timber for paper and furniture construction Leads to wide scale deforestation Access roads affect migration routes May be sustainable or unsustainable forestry |
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