Fewer Forest Fires
Costa Rica sets an
example for the world as
to how conservation
areas effectively reduce
forest fires in tropical
rainforests.
This was confirmed in a
study by scientists from
the Smithsonian
Institution, the
University of Alberta
and the University of
Maryland.
Using NASA satellites,
the study evaluated the
number of fires in 3,964
natural reserves in
tropical nations in
Latin America, Africa,
and Southeast Asia.
Jamaica, Malaysia, and
Japan join Costa Rica as
the nations with the
least fires, while
Cambodia, Guatemala, and
Sierra Leone recorded
the most.
Surprisingly, the
countries with the
highest indexes of
poverty and corruption
are the ones with the
most fires in or around
protected areas. |
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