ENVIRONMENT REPORT - World's Forests Endangered

ENVIRONMENT REPORT -April 19, 2002: World’s Forests Endangered

By Cynthia Kirk

This is the VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT.

Many of the world ’s forests are quickly disappearing because of increased development. The World Resources
Institute, based in Washington, D -C, recently completed a report about the problem. It says forty percent of the
world’s undeveloped forest areas could be lost in ten to twenty years.

The report includes the results of a two-year study of almost half the world
’
s

forests. It includes forests in Chile, Venezuela, Indonesia, Russia, Central Africa
and North America. The study is based on maps produced by a group linked to the
World Resources Institute called Global Forest Watch.

The maps combine satellite technology with information from the ground. The maps
show illegal tree cutting, mining and road development in areas once thought to be
undamaged forest land. The report says most of the threat is a result of bad economics¹, poor supervision² and
dishonesty.

The World Resources Institute says Russia is one example. Russia has the largest forest area in the world. Yet,
only twenty-five percent of forests in Russia today remain undamaged. Global Forest Watch says Russia’
s
forests are disappearing because of tree-cutting, fires set by people and other activities.

In Indonesia, about seventy percent of trees are cut illegally. In Venezuela, tree cutting and mining activities
threaten natural forest areas. Central Africa also was named in the report as another example of poor land
management.

Global Forest Watch says government policies often support short-term³ economic gain, instead of long-term
efforts to protect forests. In Chile, for example, government policies urge people to plant new trees by clearing
native forests that are thousands of years old. As a result, ancient forests and the second-oldest living trees in the
world are in danger.

The report notes that many countries have passed new laws to better protect forests. However, such laws are not
always enforced⁴.

Some companies are beginning to make better business decisions designed to protect the environment. They
promise to avoid wood products that are cut illegally or in a destructive⁵ way. Global Forest Watch says the health
of the world’s remaining forests will depend on how well countries supervise⁶ and protect those areas.

This VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT was written by Cynthia Kirk.

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1 economics   

n.经济学，经济情况

参考例句：

• He is studying economics,which subject is very important.他正在学习经济学，该学科是很重要的。
• One can't separate politics from economics.不能把政治与经济割裂开来。

2 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

3 short-term   

adj.短期的

参考例句：

• The short-term training class has been run three times.短训班办了三期。
• For this they are running short-term courses and evening classes.为此，他们办了短训班和夜校。

4 enforced   

n.强迫的v.实施( enforce的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；强迫；强制执行

参考例句：

• a period of enforced absence 不得不离开的一段时间
• This reform must be enforced. 此项改革势在必行。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 destructive   

adj.破坏（性）的，毁灭（性）的

参考例句：

• In the end,it will be destructive of our whole society.它最终会毁灭我们整个社会。
• It is the most destructive storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的一次风暴。

6 supervise   

v.监督，管理，指导

参考例句：

• We must supervise and speed up the fulfilment of assigned tasks.已经布置了的工作，应当认真督促检查。
• Tomorrow he will supervise all the pupils taking the English examination.明天全体学生考英语，他将担任监考。