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Bhutan Deforestation And Wildlife Extinction

Bhutan: Deforestation and Wildlife Extinction
Introduction
Considered to be located "on the roof of the world," Bhutan is a mountainous and sparsely populated region that is classified as one of the least developed countries on earth. Bhutanese people have survived many generations, isolated from outside influences which have hindered their technological advancements. However, this isolation has enabled them to maintain strong cultural ties. Nestled in the Himalayan Mountain range with up-and-coming world power neighbors like China and India, the government of Bhutan realizes that they are at a pivotal point in their history. Now is the time to advance to be on par with the rest of the world or at least with their neighbors to the north and south. However, a struggle lies ahead with regards to "How can Bhutan prosper as a nation that provides valuable exports with other nations without falling victimizing its people and its culture through capitalism and consumerism, all while maintaining a mutually beneficial balance with nature and their delicate ecosystem?" The following paper will address potential and on-going issues that Bhutan will face as it confronts the 21st Century and globalization. One issue is the cause and effect of deforestation in this region, with a glimpse of how the threat of global warming even reaches this isolate nation. The second issue addressed is the necessity to preserve their wildlife which is an interval part of their ecosystem. Though these two issues are approached and resolved in different manners, it is not hard to see how these two are connected.
Deforestation
Approximately 64.2% of Bhutan is still under forest cover (Statistics, 2007); however, the potential for exploitation of this resource is imminent as Bhutan's urban area expand and rural areas advance through the creation of roads for trade routes within their borders and to surrounding countries. Currently, the majority of the country's forests are protected...