Loss of Habitat
The death of the forest means a loss of habitat for thousands of plants, animals and birds. Many species in Madagascar are endemic, which means they are found nowhere else in the world, and the loss of habitat means that these unique creatures are becoming endangered, with many facing extinction. It is estimated that in Madagascar, more species of plants and animals have been destroyed through deforestation than the number of species that we even know exist there today. Many plants and animals are going extinct before we even have a chance to find and identify them.
A prime example of this is the lemur, one of Madagascar’s most famous animals. Like so many Madagascan species they are found only in this rainforest, and although they were once common, loss of habitat has meant that they are becoming more and more threatened. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists 16% of all lemur species as critically endangered, 23% as endangered, 25% as vulnerable, 28% as "data deficient", and only 8% as least concern. When new lemur species are discovered, they are usually of high conservation status as they are confined to small areas. Already 17 species, 8 genera, and 3 families of lemurs have one extinct. And yet Gibson Guitars doesn’t care. Is it really ok to allow them to selfishly derive their profits from the backs of unique creatures such as these incredible lemurs?
So why do we bother about rosewood? Surely chopping it down isn’t really HARMING the rainforest?
Well, if you think like this then you are extremely mistaken. Deforestation harms the Madagascan rainforest in many different ways, and when it is illegal, such as the Gibson rosewood deforestation, it is even worse. With no regulation, the terrible impacts of logging are likely never to be undone. We must learn about these impacts and ways to stop them: WE MUST ACT NOW!
The Impacts
Destroying Ecosystems
Deforestation damages ecosystems in ways that are extremely difficult to repair. By destroying the rainforest we do not only make it harder for animals and plants but also pose huge risks to ourselves. Damaging the ecosystem leads to an imbalance in the food web, causing problems such as over- and under-population and in turn damaging the plants, but it can also cause disasters such as landslides, floods, bushfires and overall change the stability of local weather. We all know that our climate is becoming more unstable due to climate change and global warming we can see from the news what horrific consequences this fact can have; and yet we still continue to add to it. Every tree destroyed released C02 into the atmosphere, and as these precious rosewood trees take hundreds of years to grow it is unlikely that this will ever be made up. Gibson Guitars continue to support the breaking down of our planet. They are putting the lives and wellbeing of those who live in Madagascar at risk as well as adding to an unstable and unsustainable world as well as destroying precious and vital forest. This is stupid, illogical and needless. Let’s tell Gibson Guitars to stop this illegal practise and allow our children to live in the safe, sustainable and clean world which they deserve; and which it is still possible to build.
Social Impacts
As well as these devastating environmental impacts, illegal deforestation and rosewood logging is having terrible social impacts on the lives and community of the people in Madagascar. Logging is almost always a last resort for the people of Madagascar. Recent social, political and economic instability have helped spark this logging and hunting rush. Although illegal rosewood logging has always been a problem in Madagascar, after the government coup in 2009 that caused military rule, political instability, loss of foreign aid and an increase in poverty and unemployment, logging rates rose dramatically as laws were relaxed and industries lost. As there is a demand for rosewood, many desperate islanders are turning to logging and hunting as a primary source of income, and poverty-stricken immigrants are even coming from abroad to take advantage of the rush. But this often has destructive rather than productive results for the loggers themselves. Crime, food shortages and disease transmission rates all increase rapidly when a large number of people are confined to a small area. Not only are the many city dwellers unused to the forest, but they misuse it in many ways, greatly increasing the chances of disasters such as floods. Loggers are also paid low and unreliable wages, and the business of illegal logging itself is often so deeply riddled with corruption that more money may go towards funding corrupt governments and internal conflicts. However, there is a way out. By showing the loggers that other professions, such as eco-tourism, both pay more and respect the environment and by educating them on the importance of conservation we can show all of the loggers that eco-friendly futures ARE sustainable; both for themselves and for the forest. Gibson Guitars must stop exploiting these vulnerable people and their vulnerable country!