Deforestation. View of barren, deforested hills caused by copper mining in an area previously covered with temperate rainforest. The environ- mental damage here has been caused by tree- felling, sulphur, fire and rainfall. Furnaces at the copper mines burned huge amounts of timber. Smelters emitted sulphur polluting the air and soil, preventing tree growth and encouraging ground fires. Rainfall has subsequently eroded the deforested hills. Photographed near Queenstown, Tasmania, which has been a mining centre since 1883.