Deforestation

Deforestation: (By: Priscilla Velez)

Each year, 18 million acres of trees are lost. That’s roughly the size of the country Panama! Currently, half of the world’s tropical forests have been cleared. Deforestation has severe effects on the environment.

What is Deforestation?

Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other sources or to use the trees for commercial purposes.

Where Does Deforestation Occur?

Deforestation essentially occurs anywhere where there is forest available. The countries where deforestation mostly occurs include Brazil, Indonesia, and Thailand. Indonesia is the country where the most deforestation occurs.

Deforestation Causes:

1. To make land available to support housing and urbanization
2. To obtain wood materials to create products such as paper and furniture
3. To create highly demanded consumer items such as palm oil, soil, and cocoa
4. To make space to support cattle ranching and other agricultural activities

Effects of Deforestation:

1. Loss of Habitat/Species/Biodiversity: An estimated 70% of the Earth’s animals and plants live in forests. Without trees to provide not only shelter, but temperature regulation and food, the survival of many species is severely threatened. As a result of a loss of habitat, there is the consequence of the loss of species and biodiversity. Furthermore, the areas affected by deforestation are much more susceptible to fires. These fires may kill wildlife.
2. Disrupted Water Cycles: Trees play an important role in the water cycle as they absorb water from rainfall and release the water back into the atmosphere as vapor. As a result of the inability of trees to fulfill this crucial role in the water cycle, soil becomes much drier, making it difficult for plants to grow. Furthermore, without trees to store water in their roots, areas become much more susceptible to either floods or droughts.
3. Increased Soil Erosion: Soil erosion is the removal of a top layer of soil. As a result of deforestation, trees are unable to anchor soil, leaving the soil more susceptible to being blown or washed away. The removal of soil also means the removal of the nutrients necessary to sustain vegetation, making it much more difficult for vegetation to be grown.
4. Increase in Greenhouse Gases: Trees absorb the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. Without trees, the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere may dramatically increase. In addition, the carbon dioxide stored in trees are released when they are cut down. Thus, the decrease in the absorption of greenhouses gases and the release of carbon dioxide due to deforestation lead to an increase in global warming.
5. Destruction/Loss of Homeland for Indigenous Tribes: The way of life for many indigenous tribes is threatened when deforestation causes the animals and plants they rely on to become destroyed. In addition, before deforestation begins, governments often succeed in evicting indigenous tribes.

Scary Facts about Deforestation:

Here are some facts about deforestation as provided by conserve-energy-future.com

1. It is estimated that within 100 years there will be no rainforests.
2. One and a half acres of forest is cut down every second.
3. The rate of deforestation equals to loss of 20 football fields every minute.
4. 20% of the world’s oxygen is produced in the Amazon forest.
5. Up to 28,000 species are expected to become extinct by the next quarter of the century due to deforestation.