ENSC103 - Module 1 COPY
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103
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Geography
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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docx
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Uploaded by MajorLlamaMaster906
1
Module 1 Write-Up:
Topic Scoping and Description
Department of Environmental Studies, Queen’s University
ENSC103: Environment and Sustainability
Dr. Kristen Lowitt
October 16, 2023
2
What is the issue that you have chosen?
One of the greatest global environmental land issues instigated we face today is deforestation –
the deliberate clearing of forests by humans for other uses (Pimm, 2023). It is important to
distinguish deforestation from forest degradation, which denotes the impairment of a forest’s
ability to function effectively and maintain its sustainability (Hancock, n.d.). Despite numerous
initiatives targeted towards combatting deforestation and its consequences, our forests continue
to suffer from clear-cutting (the complete removal of trees from an area) and slash-and-burn
practices (the removal of pre-existing vegetation through cutting and burning to make way for
new agriculture) (Oxford English Dictionary, n.d.). While forests play a vital role in absorbing
carbon dioxide, generating clean air, harboring over 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity
(IUCN, 2021), regulating a balanced water cycle between the land and the atmosphere, and
purifying our water sources and safeguarding our shores, the pace of deforestation in some
countries remains disturbingly high. Deforestation is frequently driven by unsustainable and
illegal agricultural practices, but logging, mining, and infrastructure expansion all equally play a
part (Greenpeace UK, 2022). With Earth’s forests under the biggest threat in history, the
livelihoods of millions at stake, and the threat of endangerment and possible extinction for
numerous species at large, it is now more important than ever to ask ourselves if the jeopardy of
losing one of the most valuable resources on this planet outweighs the benefits derived from their
destruction? (235 words)
Why do you care about this issue?
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Whether I am out for a stroll in town, going on a hike with friends, or riding the chairlift with
family, I have always been drawn to the trees in my surroundings. They are perhaps my favourite
part of nature and the most important natural resource on Earth. I believe them to be a major part
of the climate change solution, yet our forests seem to be leaving us now more than ever, with
deforestation playing a huge role in this. This is the reasoning behind my great concern about
deforestation, it is destroying one of the things I find most beautiful and vital on this planet. (107
words)
What information do you need to understand this issue?
I first heard about deforestation in elementary school from my teacher. Although it was a mere,
brief subject of social science class, something ignited within me that day as I discovered
humans’ selfish and destructive behaviours towards the environment. Since then, it has become a
topic of growing interest to me, leaving me wanting to know more. My research on deforestation
has now become a mix of knowledge learned from teachers and professors, heard from podcasts
or the radio, read from library books and online articles, and seen on social media. Currently, my
main source of information is, just like anyone else, the internet. Whether I am listening to a
podcast on Spotify, watching a video on TikTok, or reading a news article from CBC News, the
reliability of the information I am learning is something that is running through my mind. I
typically use the CRAAP (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose) or VRGE
(Validity, Reliability, Generalization, and Ethicality) method to evaluate my sources. This
method allows me to “fact-check” the information in a manner that looks over all the relevant
information needed to further investigate the source. (189 words)
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References
Greenpeace UK. (2022, June 6).
Deforestation
.
https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/challenges/forests/deforestation/
Hancock, L. (n.d.).
What is forest degradation and why is it bad for people and wildlife?
WWF.
https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/what-is-forest-degradation-and-why-is-it-bad-for-
people-and-wildlife
IUCN. (2021, February).
Deforestation and forest degradation
.
https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-brief/deforestation-and-forest-
degradation#:~:text=Deforestation%20occurs%20when%20forests%20are,services%20to
%20people%20and%20nature.
Oxford English Dictionary. (n.d.). https://www.oed.com/
Pimm, S. (2023, October 12).
Deforestation
. Encyclopædia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/science/deforestation