Comments on: Satellite map reveals deforestation in Costa Rica and around the world

By: toolman78

toolman78 — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 23:26:00 +0000

The map is completely inaccurate. I checked our farm and areas that are still covered in old forest have red on them and areas that used to be pasture and have been planted with orange trees within the last 10 years also have red all over them. I’ve been familiar with the general area around our farm for the last 12 years and find that the red markings that they say are supposed sights of recent deforestation seem to be false as often as they are correct. Similarly a teak farm in Guanacaste I’m familiar with that had it’s first cut done less than a year ago shows that it’s been deforested even though it used to be pasture for cattle and was planted 20+ years ago.

By: expatin paradise

expatin paradise — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 23:17:00 +0000

This is interesting work that was created in remarkably little time because the data were already stored. I just wish that I could read the map. I don’t know why people who make these things don’t understand why people can’t make these graphics using different colors, given that a significant number of us (8% of males of northern European descent) have red-green color blindness. By the way, if you click to see the whole map, you will find that there is a complete legend telling what squares other than the red ones mean.

By: Aitor Xaranga

Aitor Xaranga — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 22:09:00 +0000

Interestingly, there is deforestation in the outlying national parks or reserves, principally in the Barra del Colorado area. Will this be blamed on the narco-traffickers?

By: Ken Morris

Ken Morris — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 17:02:00 +0000

My only objection to this article is the use of the term “worse” to mean “more extensive” when describing the recent rate of deforestation in Nicaragua.

Preserving rainforests, like any other environmentalist objective, often involves making tradeoffs between it and economic development. I bristle when environmentalists object to poor countries doing the same thing that rich countries did and do, as if the poor are supposed to remain poor to offset the environmental destruction caused by the rich.

The comparison with Costa Rica is also a bit disingenuous, IMO, since preserving rainforests is money in the bank for Costa Rica’s tourism industry. I doubt whether Costa Rica would do such a good job if it weren’t profitable. The country certainly doesn’t give much evidence of being concerned about the environment in other ways.

So let’s just say that deforestation in Nicaragua has recently been “more extensive” than it has been in Costa Rica, and save the adjective “worse” for a fuller analysis of exactly what has been going on in Nicaragua and why.