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Case Study: Malaysian Rainforest

Geography: AQA GCSE, topic 2.2.11

Case Study of a Tropical Rainforest – Malaysian Rainforest

Malaysia is located in south-east Asia and has experienced rapid deforestation.

Deforestation

Deforestation

  • Trees used to be clear-felled to harvest tropical wood, leading to rapid deforestation in the 1980s.
  • An area is clear-felled if all the trees are removed from an area one at a time.
Exports

Exports

  • Malaysia is the world’s largest exporter of palm oil.
  • The rainforest has been cleared to make room for commercial farming.
Migration

Migration

  • The government has encouraged people to move into rainforest areas to reduce the pressure on cities (transmigration).
Damming the river

Damming the river

  • The government has tried to improve energy supplies for Malaysian industry and people.
  • The Bakun HEP Dam was built to improve energy supplies using hydroelectric power.
  • The Bakun HEP Dam has flooded large areas of rainforest.

Impacts of Deforestation on the Malaysian Rainforest

There are a number of different impacts of deforestation on the Malaysian Rainforest.

Economic development

Economic development

  • The Bakun HEP dam has provided jobs for construction workers and energy to support developing industries in Malaysia.
  • As businesses benefit, the amount of tax they pay the government increases.
  • The increased tax received by the government can be reinvested into public services like health and education.
Soil erosion

Soil erosion

  • Trees intercept rain and bind soils.
  • When trees are removed, the soils are easily washed away.
  • Changes to the microclimate make soils drier so soil erosion is more severe.
Contribution to climate change

Contribution to climate change

  • Rainforests store carbon in the trees.
  • Carbon is released if the trees are burnt.
  • Releasing carbon adds to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
  • Fewer trees also mean less absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Test yourself on Case Study: Malaysian Rainforest

  • What does it mean if an area is clear-felled?

  • Why did the Malaysian government build the Bakun HEP Dam?

  • Which of these is true about how deforestation impacts on soil erosion?

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