29 April -05 May 2013 - orsam

Deforestation threatens Mekong region
If current deforestation rates continue, The Greater Mekong subregion in Southeast Asia risks losing
more than a third of its remaining forest cover within the next two decades, says a new report.
BANGKOK, May 2 (UPI) -- If current deforestation rates continue, the Greater Mekong region in
Southeast Asia risks losing more than one-third of its remaining forest cover within two decades, a
new report said.
The WWF report, "Ecosystems in the Greater Mekong," says that from 1973 through 2009, the five
countries comprising the region -- Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam -- chopped
down almost one-third of their forests for timber and to clear land for agriculture.
During that period, Cambodia lost 22 percent of its 1973 forest cover, Laos and Myanmar lost 24
percent and Thailand and Vietnam lost 43 percent.
"Core forests" a 1.86 square mile-block of uninterrupted forest, have dropped from 70 to 20 percent
of total forest area, the analysis says.
"The Greater Mekong is at a crossroads," Peter Cutter, Landscape Conservation manager with WWF-
Greater Mekong said in a release. "One path leads to further declines in biodiversity and livelihoods
but if natural resources are managed responsibly, this region can pursue a course that will secure a
healthy and prosperous future for its people."
WWF based its findings on analysis of satellite data and some of the findings conflict with official
figures from the five countries, Voice of America reports.
The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization also has reported that official country figures
in the region showed a decline in deforestation rates from 2000-10.
But WWF says those figures could be misleading because some countries identify agriculture
plantations for rubber trees, cassava and palm oil as forested areas.
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