Short Term Effects of the Harvesting of Palm Oil Lachlan Hamilton, SHEDCREW Production.

People

The large demand for palm oil makes it a very economic crop and provides a source of employment for many people including native to Papua New Guinea, Colombia, Indonesia and Borneo.

Landholders are allowed to participate in the cash economy which results in improvements to local infrastructure, and greater access to schools and health facilities.

The cultivation of palm oil has replaced traditional practices due to the higher income potential of palm oil.

Unfortunately The Indigenous people will suffer because for many the forest is their livelihood, so when the forest is destroyed, so is their medicine and food supply, forcing them to work such jobs like palm oil harvesting, tragically leaving them with nothing.

People

Deforestation

The short term effects of the harvesting of Palm Oil are very sudden and hard hitting.

The land is logged of over 70 types of precious hardwood timber, then the remaining trees, shrubs and debris are set on fire.

This is immediately destroying natural resources such as food, shelter and medicines that the Indigenous people rely on.

The long Term effects of the deforestation are far more devastating and include greenhouse gas emissions and reduced biodiversity.

Deforestation

An Ariel Photograph showing the difference between the forest and cleared land.

Wildlife

The effect on wildlife that palm oil harvesting has is one of the more devastating and is campaigned frequently because the worst short term effect of palm oil harvesting is death.

The simple fact is that when these trees are logged the native animals simply have no where to go. Their home is completely destroyed, often whilst they are inside resulting in death.

The Orangutan suffers greatly between 6 – 12 killed each day but the devastation is not just limited to Orangutan. The Sumatran Tiger, Asian Rhinoceros, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Sun Bear, Pygmy Elephant, Clouded Leopard and the Proboscis Monkey are all subject to habitat destruction and death.

The animals are killed by falling trees, large tractors and machinery or they are burnt with the trees and shrubs after the precious wood is harvested. If the animals survive the Palm oil harvest of an area they are subject to death by starvation. Larger animals such as the elephant have been poisoned by growers to prevent them from destroying crops.

Wildlife

Sumatran Tiger

Orangutan

Poisoned Elephants near a palm oil Plantation

THX

Questions?

Roll Credits…

By Lachlan Hamilton, Petersham TAFE.

Resources

http://www.saynotopalmoil.com/palm-oil.php

http://www.saynotopalmoil.com/suffering-species.php

http://www.saynotopalmoil.com/images.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_and_environmental_impact_of_palm_oil

http://www.sustainablepalmoil.org/consumers-retailers/consumers/environmental-and-social-impacts/

http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/agriculture/palm_oil/environmental_impacts/

http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/palm-oil-production-social-environmental-impacts

http://www.mongabay.com/borneo/borneo_oil_palm.html