The S o Francisco Valley is exporting fruit, including grapes, papayas and melons, and will probably end up competing in world markets of these and other products. At the same time that some areas develop their economic potential, others will continue to be degraded, in terms of the environment and their carrying capacity for human populations. Return to Top Threats Overgrazing by cattle and goats and excessive harvesting of fruits are seriously affecting the population structure of most of the more important species. Indiscriminate timbering for industry as well as fuelwood and charcoal is decimating the original vegetation. The region is rapidly approaching the situation of Africa in the Sahara and Sahel, where chronic drought and misuse of the environment are threatening a major catastrophe.
Desertification is a serious threat, as is gradual salinization of the soils due to irrigation.
Furthermore, most if not all of the over 16 conservation units in the North-east are under severe pressure from the local human populations. Return to Top Map 55. Potencialidades paisagisticas brasileiras. Universidade de S o Paulo, S o Paulo. O dominio morfoclim tico semi- rido das caatingas brasileiras.