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Globalization and Environment in Congo Basin Printable Version PRINTABLE VERSION
by ANDRE MUKENGE, Congo, DR Oct 18, 2002
Environment   Opinions
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Last August, the sustainable development summit which took place in Johannesbourg decided to protect the environment of the Congo Basin in Central Africa, this considered as a global area. Since the end of this conference, the inhabitants of this African area are not aware of the call to protect the Congo Basin, because the conference was conducted by representatives distanced from those they represent .In the Democratic republic of the Congo, government leaders tried to explain somehow what was decided and how the government could participate in protecting the environment.This attempt seems however, to not be adequate. For us, the youth should be taught how they can guard the Congo Basin.CONGO RIVER AND ITS BASIN
The Congo river is some 2,800 miles long. It's basin is covered almost entirely by Equatorial rainforests.The central basin is about 1,000 feet in elevation and comprises about one-third of the country. It's area is categorized by high temperatures, excessive humidity, torrential rains and unchanged masses of dense foliage. The edges of the inner basin is composed of plateaus and hills. The humid central core of the basin is cooler as the elevation increases. There are, in this basin, the Congo river tributaries and several large lakes in the Rift Valley. In the heavely forested lower basin region much of the population is located in isolated communities. The dense forest grouth provided a refuge for small ethnic groups and certain species of wild animals. Villages are located along the banks of the Congo and its many tributaries. Houses are constructed chiefly of native materials and sometimes built on stilts.
The central basin of the Congo River comprises one-third of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a litle part of Congo Brazzaville and the Central African republic. It is occupied by sluggish rivers that overflow into marshes, swamps and lakes. the lowest part of the depression forms the bed of the Congo river, its major tributaries and the two swampy lakes, Tumba and Mai-Ndombe. The Center of the basin is covered by dense rain forests and the related forms of heavy growth.The Congo River is divided by falls and rapids into three sections: upper, middle and lower Congo.Its tributaries are Lwalaba River, Lomami River, Bomu River, Uele River, Kwa River and Kasai river>

VEGETATION

The Congo Basin is surrounded by fine-grained soils. The basin itself contains mostly coarse-grained soils and 25,000 square miles of tropical rain forest. Along water courses soils are protected against erosion by a dense vegetation . Woodland covers one-half of the total land area, much of it tropical rainforest. The forests, always green because there is no dry season, grow dense and luxuriant in the extreme heat and heavy precipitation. Many trees are covered with liana plants climbing up the trunks.The undergrouth is scant because the dense canopy formed by the treetops keeps the sun from reaching the forest floor.In the swampy forest areas and in the coastal tidal swamps, trees emerge from great expanses of water.

HOW TO GUARD THE CONGO BASIN?

The alteration of climate on the earth is a matter of great concern. In order to avoid the bad consequences of ths perturbation, each of us must do all his best to partake the protection of the Earth. In Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the Congo Basin begins, people are anxious about the clearing of the original forests due to the destruction of tradesmen. These take place daily in woodlands, trees slaughtered to make timber, a catastrophe for the Earth. The same takes place performed in Congo Bazzaville amd Central African republic. Heavy trucks transport economically valuable trees from the forest to the Ocean and Europe.
Some parts of the Congo Basin are being transformed into deserts: mainly those where the African oak, mahogany, ebony, red cedar, walnut and wild rubber trees are located.
On the globalization chapter let's say that the organizations headed by young people must work together to guard the global patrimony by telling each another the fact that soils and vegetation of the Congo Basin belong to the world; each of us is obliged to take care of them. The most important thing to do is the holding of regular seminar on the Environment.WHAT CAN BE DONE?

The destruction of the rain forests , the soils and wild animals must be stopped. A campaign must be initiated to sensibilize tradesmen and the inhabitants of African villages, for to be aware that cutting economically valuable trees is not different from murder. there are many ways of ganing money. It is the duty of village inhabitants to prevent the destroyers from entering the forests and from cutting trees. on the other hand, the local government has a heavy responsability to establish police factions around forests. Their job shall be to pay attention to what is happening when lorry or uncostumed men or strangers are going into forests. If there is an old tree that must be cut, first of all it is necessary to plant another nearly and wait till it becomes strong. The local population must drow a calendar which will be followed by the youth brigades conmcerned with the environment.





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