UN Scientists Question Links Between Deforestation and Recent Severe Floods in Central America.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations states that the number of major flooding events has been consistent over the past century, while forested areas around the world have recently decreased at an alarming rate.
The FAO indicates that forested areas act as buffers for smaller floods but cannot prevent major natural disasters.
This FAO report appears to contradict the widespread belief held by governments and environmental experts that forests play a crucial role in mitigating the impacts of flooding.
Following the flooding of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers in China in 1998, the Chinese government imposed a logging ban, resulting in thousands losing their jobs.
Now, the FAO claims that these measures do little to prevent potential future flooding.
Instead, the FAO argues, these actions have only made life more difficult for millions of impoverished farmers who have been displaced from their lands.
Scientists assert that forests protect valuable resources by retaining fertile soil and preventing water runoff. They also highlight other important reasons for effective forest management.
However, the FAO contends that the promotion of forest protection to the public is misguided.
The FAO states that the increasing damages from flooding are a result of a stark reality: more people are settling and conducting business in flood-prone areas, transforming what would have been minor natural disasters into significant catastrophes.
