a short term solution. The soil only stays nutrient-rich for so long, about two years, after this time, the nutrients from the burned biomass are used up. When this happens, farmers pack up and move on to the next section of the rainforest, leaving their farmland behind for others to use for cattle rearing or abandonment.

Furthermore, slash-and-burn agriculture on this scale can also have devastating effects on the biodiversity in the area. With large areas of land being incinerated, many animal habitats are lost in the fire. This pushes animals out of the forest, decreasing biodiversity, and increasing the number of endangered and extinct animal species.

The next problem is cattle ranching which has a massive impact on forests around the world, particularly tropical rainforests like the Amazon. Manycrashed his car into

a fence, and attempted unsuccessfully to flee on foot. The jury convicted Banner of

aggravated fleeing or eluding and trespass to a conveyance, a lesser-included

offense of grand theft. Banner requested a presentence investigation report.

       At sentencing, Banner stipulated that he had prior felony convictions for

four counts of grand theft and one count of resisting a law enforcement officer

without violence, of fleeing a police officer, and of driving with a suspended

license. Banner also stipulated that he had been released from jail on March 7,

2003. The trial judge sentenced Banner, as an habitual felony offender, to 30 years

of imprisonment for aggravated fleeing or eluding, with a mandatory minimum

“sentence of 15 years as a prison release reoffender,” and to time served for

trespass to