We've posted below the synopsis and some of the interesting slides that she has generously agreed to share on this blog for those of us who missed attending her talk.
This presentation examines the process of land use change through wildlands, frontier clearings, subsistence agriculture, to intensive agriculture and urban settlements. This process parallels other societal transitions that occur with development, including demographic, health, nutrition, and energy transitions. The research discussed in the presentation focuses on the southern Amazon, where large-scale deforestation is occurring for pasture and mechanized cropland as part of the frontier stage of land use transitions. Remote sensing is an essential tool to identify deforestation and quantify the fate of deforested lands. India is currently experiencing relatively stable forest cover and rapid urbanization. One of the major transitions underway is the increased use of modern fuels and declining use of traditional biofuels.
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If you would like to correspond with Prof Ruth DeFries, you can email her at rdefries@umd.edu
or write to her at: The Dept of Geography and Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center
2181 Lefrak HallCollege Park, MD 20742
Tel: 301 405 4884 Fax: 301 314 9299
