TREES - How Stopping Deforestation Would Make Us Richer [Infographic]

Deforestation By The Numbers Jan Willem Tulp

Bad news for the timber industry but great news for tourism

Deforestation definitely isn't doing nature any favors, but at least there's a financial incentive for it, right?

Well, not really, actually, as this infographic shows.

Based on an economic valuation of Sumatra's Leuser National Park, designer Jan Willem Tulp breaks down the pros and cons of alternatives to deforestation in a beautiful interactive infographic. It maps the relative impact of three different forest management strategies: logging but replanting trees, or "selective-use"; deforestation, which is what's happening to the park now; and total, tree-friendly conservation. Each strategy is then evaluated on how it'd impact the bottom line of different regions, industrial sectors and stakeholders.

For the most part, logging but replanting trees or conserving forests altogether would result in financial gain: certain areas would take a hit (the timber industry, obviously, and also agriculture), but more industries, like tourism and fisheries, would improve. Of course, this is only based on research for a single park, so data for other forests would be at least a little different. You've got to wonder what this chart would look like for a place like the Amazon.

See the full infographic here.

[visaul.ly]

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2013-04/why-it-makes-financia