ECU103
Geography for Schools
Semester 2, 2014
Assignment 3
Conference paper to report on Geographic Inquiry
Title: Preserving the Yasuni National Park in the Amazon.
Abbie Mullan
S215121
Abstract: The following paper discusses the affects deforestation in the Yasuni National Park(Ecuadorian Amazon) has on its rich biodiversity. The purpose of the inquiry is to investigate the affect that logging and oil extraction has had through deforestation in the park over the past 10-20 years and how it has affected the biodiversity and indigenous tribes within the region. The investigation includes secondary data that was used for various data analysis including research statistics taken over a period of time. Findings have indicated the dramatic decline of biodiversity and forest cover throughout the area as well as logging and oil extraction reaching closer to tribes, threatening their livelihood. By investigating biodiversity statistics and research carried out in the Yasuni National Park the inquiry will discuss how deforestation has affected the area over a period of time.
Background to Study: The Yasuni National Park is located in the Ecuadorian Amazon and spans an area of 9,820km2 between the Napo and Curaray rivers with geographical digits of 1.0833° S, 75.9167° W. Due to the large area of the Yasuni National Park, a small-scale map is used to support this study and to show the region in its entirety (as shown), with a large-scale map being used to provide the detail required in identifying roads and tribes. The region incorporates one of the most biologically diverse forests in the world and holds a variety of wildlife and tree species. The Yasuni National Park is also renowned and extremely well known for being home to many tribes that include the Kichwa, Waorani (famous for being an un-contactable tribe in the Amazon), Huaorani, Shuar, Tagaeri and Taromenane indigenous tribes. These tribes have adopted a lifestyle that consists of nomadic hunting and foraging and have chosen to resist outside contact from the modern world. In recent years with deforestation, the invasion of non-indigenous colonists and oil production, increased pressure has been placed on local biodiversity. Preserving the Yasuni National Parks biodiversity and indigenous tribes is paramount in order to maintain the integrity, culture and livelihood of all that will be affected by deforestation. The park has been in the conservation hotspot for years with oil fields abundant in the area and the ongoing dispute to leave the area untouched. Not only will deforestation devastate the local tribes in the area and their connection to the land, it will also bring about great devastation to biodiversity in the area.
Small-scale map shows area of the Yasuni National Park in Ecuadorian Amazon. (Map Source: York, S. 2013)
Geographic Question: How will deforestation affect the biodiversity of the Yasuni National Park in the Amazon?
Methodology: In order to gather primary data, questionnaires were sent out to 3 different organisations that are currently fighting to save the Yasuni National Park. Unfortunately, at the time of this inquiry submission I was yet to hear back from anyone providing information that would have allowed the inquiry to investigate Primary Data on this topic. Questionnaire that was sent out: Geographical Inquiry Questionnaire.docx.
Strategies to collect secondary data for this inquiry included, but were not limited to, researching sources such as Government documents, official statistics, technical reports, scholarly journals, review articles and research institutions. It was important when collecting secondary data to determine the original purpose of the data, credentials of the source, dates of publication and coverage of the report or document. When analysing the secondary data it was essential to look for both aggregated and disaggregated data. Secondary data was collected through investigations and inquiries conducted by researchers who are firmly against the destruction of this extremely bio-diverse region. For this reason, all data had to be carefully selected and analysed in order to evaluate for accuracy and bias to draw on conclusions for the inquiry. All data collected was arranged systematically by separating and classifying the different types of data. The following results have been displayed through ways that contribute to research and statistical anaylsis by means of maps, graphs, tables, geospatial images and diagrams.
Results: The following large-scale maps show time-lapse photos of a small part of the Amazon from 1984-2012 to demonstrate the increasing area covered caused by deforestation.
Large-scale map showing the Amazon in 1984. (Source: Earth Engine, 2012)
Large – Scale map showing the Amazon in 2012. (Source: Earth Engine, 2012)
The following large-scale map shows the large area of the Yasuni National Park that is threatened by oil blocks meaning that oil extraction will soon threaten even more of the biodiversity and tribal areas of the park due to deforestation.
LEGEND:
Qualitative data themes that emerged from surveys and interviews all carried the same trend of standing against destroying such a high bio-diverse part of the world. The following overview is based around the most common trends that appeared throughout the interviews and surveys and have been broken down and presented in my own words:
1. Why is the Yasuni National Park important?
• A majority of people answered by declaring the importance of the local Indigenous tribes in the Yasuni.
• They also discussed the importance of preserving this park in order to maintain its rich biodiversity, as well as the large amount of unrecorded animal and plant life.
• Society needing to look beyond monetary and financial gain from destroying one of the last truly untouched forests on Earth.
2. Thoughts on the national proposal to save the Yasuni National Park in 2007 common trends:
• Vague and poor presentation of the proposal, suggesting a lack of commitment to it.
• Indigenous tribes were kept out of the loop, which shows their opinion didn’t matter.
• News on the proposals progress was unclear, unconfirmed and not up to date (vague).
• After a survey was carried out in the area, the message became clear from the Indigenous tribes that regardless of the money, the Yasuni must not be exploited.
• It was evident that only financial gain was considered.
3. President Correa’s decision to drill in the Yasuni National Park (Yasuni ITT Initiative):
• Major repercussions on both the biodiversity of the area and Indigenous tribes, with neither replaceable.
• Government is setting a dangerous precedent for nullification of threatened land in order to benefit the Ecuadorian economy.
• Recent polls showed that 80-90% of Ecuadorians want to preserve the Yasuni-ITT initiative.
• In a struggling economy is it inevitable that money will be the root of all decisions made, particularly when the Yasuni National Park holds such a large supply of oil.
The following provides a summary of quantitative data collected through scientific research and data analysis and is presented as secondary data. The data is presented using tables and graphs which aim to show results in the following areas:
• Amazonian species vs Yasuni National Park species percentage.
• A large decrease in the total number of known species in the Yasuni National Park since deforestation began.
• High rate of forest loss in Ecuador from 2001 till 2012.
• Huaorani Indigenous tribe population growth from 1958-2001.
• Oil production from 2004 – 2014 in Ecuador and the US (a comparison of both).
Figure 1 below shows a table consisting of accumulated data of Amazonian Species in the Yasuni National Park that makes up the biodiversity of the park. If you compare the quantitative data it is easy to summarise that overall the Yasuni National Park holds a large percentage of the animal and plant population within the Amazon.
AMAZONIA / YASUNI / SPECIES IN YASUNI (%)Area Covered / 6,683,926 km2 / 9,820 km2 / 0.15%
Reptiles / 527 / 150 / 28%
Mammals / 627 / 182 / 29%
Plants / 40,000 / 4,000 / 10%
Fish / 3,200 / 440 / 13%
Amphibians / 527 / 150 / 28%
Birds / 1,778 / 596 / 34%
Figure 1: Amazonian v Yasuni National Park Species
Figure 2 shows statistics and data for threatened species in the Yasuni National Park. The table was evaluated using a range of quantitative data to summarise the following:
CR / EN / VU / NT / TOTALAmphibians / - / - / 1 / 1 / 2
Reptiles / - / - / 2 / - / 2
Birds / - / - / 2 / 5 / 7
Mammals / - / 2 / 6 / 9 / 17
Plants / 1 / 4 / 23 / 30 / 58
Total / 1 / 6 / 34 / 45 / 86
CR – Critically Endangered EN – Endangered VU - Vulnerable NT – Near Threatened
Figure 2: Threatened species of biodiversity
Figure 3 shows a line graph that represents the decline in natural forest cover due to deforestation in Ecuador from 2001-2012.
Figure 4 shows a line graph that represents the increasing population growth of the important Huaorani Indigenous tribe in the Yasuni National Park.
Figure 5 shows a bar graph that represents data and statistics to compare Ecuador’s and the United States total oil supply from 2004 – 2014.
Discussion:
Logging and oil exploitation has been occurring in the Ecuadorian Amazon since the late 1970’s. Over the past 20 years in light of logging and oil extraction, deforestation has been the primary focus of preserving the parks biodiversity and Indigenous tribes. Naturally the Indigenous tribes of the area are devastated by what is happening to their land and cultural traditions. On the other hand, large corporations feel that they are benefiting society in the long run by extracting oil from the area in order to fuel the world’s growing economy. “Despite its status as a protected area, energy companies have been drilling in Yasuni National Park and has been the site of oil extraction since the 1970s”(Panela, S. 2014). In 2007, President Rafael Correa launched a protection proposal called the Yasuni-ITT (Ishpingo Tambococha Tiputini) for the park in order to protect the oil reserves and keep them untouched, unfortunately this policy was lifted only 6 years later in 2013.
In addition to oil drilling, deforestation is also caused by outside influences and industries such as drug trade, illegal animal poaching and illegal logging. Along with this, the following trends are contributing to industrial change in the Yasuni National Park:
• Amplified government incentives that include loans and infrastructure spending for roads and dams.
• Up-scaled private sector finance due to the increasing interest in developing markets and the rise in domestic wealth.
• Rising demand for commodities such as beef, soy, palm oil and of course oil.
It is through the investigation of secondary data that it became evident the implications deforestation has had on the Yasuni National Park. You only have to look at the time-lapse photos above to see the impact deforestation has had in the area since 1984. Figure 1 shows how remarkably the Yasuni National Park protects around one third of the entire Amazon’s species population despite only covering 0.15% of area in total. Conservationist Suzanne York (2013) stated, “Scientists believe that one Yasuní hectare is home to a wider variety of trees, birds, reptiles and amphibians than in the US and Canada combined.” This statement alone only goes to show the huge affect deforestation will have on the area, not to mention its Indigenous tribes who are at an even greater threat of being impacted. Figure 4 showed the increase in population growth of the Huaorani tribe in the Yasuni National Park over the past 60 years with a similar trend being noted in other tribes which only goes to show that population growth will be impacted by deforestation.
With the accelerated process of deforestation due to the factors discussed, it is evident that they have all contributed indirectly and directly led to the loss of about 18% of native forests. Figure 3 shows the decline in natural forest cover in the Yasuni National Park that in turn ultimately affects the biodiversity and tribes of the area. In all secondary data that was attained, this was the most common trend in not only the Ecuadorian Amazon, but all over the world with the loss of natural forest cover on the decline. It is difficult to imagine a world without oil, but as demonstrated in figure 5 in comparison to the United States, Ecuador has a very limited supply of oil to extract. Statistics and data have shown that Ecuador is the smallest oil-producing member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The following map shows the spatial characteristics of the Yasuni National Park including Indigenous tribal communities, oil fields, roads, oil blocks and intangible zones. The map was created using a Geographic Information System (GIS) and shows spatial distribution of the Yasuni National Park. These have the potential (or have already been) affected by deforestation and particularly the location of the tribes' close proximity to oilfields.
Large-scale map shows location of tribes throughout the park, oil fields, roads and potential roads that will all contribute to deforestation in the area. (Source: Panela, S. 2014)
Conclusion:
In conclusion, through the secondary data that was collected it is easy to determine that the biodiversity and Indigenous tribes of the Yasuni National Park are at great risk due to deforestation. While this inquiry has focused predominately on deforestation occurring in the park due to oil extraction, factors such as logging, infrastructure, climate change, colonisation and agriculture also contribute to this devastating occurrence. “Conservationists have long opposed oil drilling, logging and other clearing activities inside the park because of the threats they pose to its biodiversity” (Panela, S. 2014).
Oil extraction in the area has been vindicated by the need to reduce poverty within Ecuador, but the reality is that poverty has risen since the exploitation of oil with the poor only become poorer. With the biodiversity of the park being helpless to fend for themselves, it is up to scientists and activists to fight for them and fight to save one of the largest genetic variety of plants and animals on the planet. With such a rich biodiversity population in such a small area of coverage and with some of the only un-contactable tribes in the world still remaining, why wouldn’t we want to leave this beautiful and mysterious part of the world to be untouched?