MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Environmental groups blame massive deforestation for floods in Mercosur members
“Increasing rainfall and significant loss of forest cover in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, have not allowed the natural absorption of water,” Greenpace said 
“When we lose forests, we become more vulnerable to intense rains and risk major flooding,” said Hernan Giardini, coordinator of Greenpace Argentina's Forests 
Between 2007 and 2015, Entre Rios province, the region most affected by flooding, lost more than 85,000 hectares (209,800 acres) of native forest Deforestation is one of the main causes of the floods in South America that have left at least 160,000 people, 25,000 of them in Argentina alone, homeless, environmental groups said.
“Increasing rainfall and significant loss of forest cover in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, which are among the world's 10 countries with the most deforestation, have not allowed the natural absorption of water,” Greenpace said in a statement.
“When we lose forests, we become more vulnerable to intense rains and risk major flooding,” Hernan Giardini, coordinator of Greenpace Argentina's Forests Campaign, said.
Between 2007 and 2015, Entre Rios province, the region most affected by flooding, lost more than 85,000 hectares (209,800 acres) of native forest, the Argentine Environment and Sustainable Development Secretariat said.
Jorge Rulli, of the Reflexion Rural environmental group, also linked deforestation with increasing flooding and noted the impact of single-crop farming, which has been displacing cattle ranching in recent years.
Each cattle ranch “used to have a number of windmills and pumps for irrigation or drinking troughs, which would draw large quantities of water every day, keeping groundwater at the traditional level of 30 to 60 meters below the surface,” Rulli said.
The heavy machinery used in growing soybeans, which have become the star in Argentine farming, “compact the soil, while pesticides kill the micro biota” that oxygenates the soil and, as a result “water does not sink in but rather circulates and accumulates,” Rulli, an expert on sustainable development, wrote in the journal Anfibia.
The Argentine provinces of Entre Rios, Chaco, Corrientes, Formosa and Santa Fe have been affected by the flooding, which has killed at least five people.
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rules-
-
-
Read all comments“that have left at least 160,000 people, 25,000 of them in Argentina alone”
Dec 29th, 2015 - 11:58 pm 0:)
I know what you are doing, Mercopress.
Reminds me of this classic gem by Cronica TV:
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2060/2204799669_6df6d42e94_z.jpg?zz=1
“... significant loss of forest cover in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, which are among the world's 10 countries with the most deforestation, have not allowed the natural absorption of water,”
Dec 30th, 2015 - 01:01 am 0And this is ”News” !!!!!! ???????????
Finally this is now affecting the 'home' countries, so I am hoping they, (the people), might start to listen to the good advice being espoused by scientists in other countries that are far more knowledgeable than their own corrupt populist politicians....
(PS: I have ignored the troll post above, and did not click on the link. Probably some weird virus...)
DUMB ILSEN ISNT USIN SOUTH AMERICA WHO REALLY , REALLY ARE FUCKING UP THE AMBIENT AND NATURAL RESOIURCES, AR LEAST NOT OVERSEA WITH STUPID OILM PERFORATION AND SHIT, THIS IS OIUR HOME ISSUES AND AND THEN END WE DO WHAT OIUR ASSESS WANT.WORRY BOUT YOUR FLOOD IN YOUR STINKY NATION , WORRY BOUT CORRUPT CAMERON, WORRY BOUT PAEDO TORI, WORRY BOUT YOUR CUTS SINCE 2014, YOUR DUMB SHIT ASSS, IGNORAANT MONKEY. www.jrf.org.uk/media-centre/uk-poverty-levels-forecast-rise
Dec 30th, 2015 - 03:36 am 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!