cause and effect essay deforestation

Deforestation: Facts, causes & effects

Today, most deforestation occurs in the tropics, but wherever the land-clearing happens it impacts our planet's climate.

Trucks removing trees from a forest.

Why do people destroy forests?

What are the consequences of deforestation, are there solutions to deforestation, additional resources, bibliography.

Deforestation is the permanent removal of trees to make room for something besides forest. Deforestation can include clearing the land for farming or livestock, or using the timber for fuel, construction or manufacturing.

Forests cover more than 30% of the Earth's land surface, according to the World Wildlife Fund (opens in new tab) (WWF). These forested areas produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), and are home to an estimated 80% of Earth's terrestrial species. Forests also are a source of food, medicine and fuel for more than a billion people. Worldwide, forests provide 13.4 million people with jobs in the forest sector, and another 41 million people have jobs related to forests.

Forests are an important natural resource, but humans have destroyed substantial quantities of forested land. In North America, about half the forests in the eastern part of the continent were cut down for timber and farming between the 1600s and late 1800s, according to National Geographic (opens in new tab) .

Today, most deforestation is happening in the tropics. Areas that were inaccessible in the past are now within reach as people build new roads through the dense forests. The world has lost about 10% of its tropical tree cover since 2000, and nearly 47,000 square miles (121,000 square kilometers) were destroyed in 2019 alone, The New York Times reported (opens in new tab) in 2020.

The World Bank (opens in new tab) estimates that about 3.9 million square miles (10 million square km) of forest have been lost since the beginning of the 20th century. In the past 25 years, forests shrank by 502,000 square miles (1.3 million square km) — an area bigger than the size of South Africa.

Often, deforestation occurs when people cut or clear forested area to make way for agriculture or grazing. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) (opens in new tab) reports that just four commodities are mostly responsible for the vast majority of tropical deforestation: beef, soy, palm oil and wood products. UCS estimates that an area the size of Switzerland (14,800 square miles, or 38,300 square km) is lost to deforestation every year.

People often light fires to clear land for agricultural use. First, workers harvest valuable timber, then burn the remaining vegetation to make way for crops like soy, or for cattle grazing. In 2019, the number of human-lit fires in Brazil skyrocketed. As of August 2019, more than 80,000 fires burned in the Amazon, an increase of almost 80% from 2018, National Geographic reported (opens in new tab) .

Many forests are cleared to make way for palm oil plantations. Palm oil is the most commonly produced vegetable oil and is found in half of all supermarket products (opens in new tab) . Growing the trees that produce the oil requires the leveling of native forest and the destruction of local peatlands — which doubles the harmful effect (opens in new tab) on the ecosystem., The global palm oil market was valued at $36.71 billion in 2019 and has been "witnessing unprecedented growth," according to a 2020 report published by Business Wire (opens in new tab) .

Forests can be found from the tropics to high-latitude areas and contain a wide array of trees, plants, animals, fungi and microbes, according to WWF. Some places are especially diverse — the tropical forests of New Guinea, for example, contain more than 6% of the world's species of plants and animals.

When forests are destroyed, complex ecosystems are disrupted or perish. Human communities that depend on forests also suffer the consequences of widespread deforestation. In countries like Uganda, people rely on trees for firewood, timber and charcoal. From 2000 to 2020, , Uganda lost more than 3,500 square miles (9,200 square kilometers) of its forest cover, Global Forest Watch reported (opens in new tab) . Families send children — primarily girls — to collect firewood, and kids have to trek farther and farther to get to the trees, Ugandan entrepreneur Sanga Moses told the website Good Black News (opens in new tab) (GBN) Collecting enough wood often takes all day, so the children miss school, GBN reported.

According to the United Nation's 2020 State of the World's Forests report (opens in new tab) , three-quarters of Earth’s freshwater comes from forested watersheds, and the loss of trees can worsen water quality. The report also found that over half the global population relies on forested watersheds for their drinking water as well as water used for agriculture and industry.

— The world has a serious deforestation problem: These 7 images prove it.

— Amazon Deforestation Shot Up by 278% Last Month, Satellite Data Show

— World leaders pledge to end deforestation by 2030

Deforestation in tropical regions can also affect the way water vapor forms over the canopy, which can reduce rainfall. A 2019 study published in the journal Ecohydrology (opens in new tab) showed that parts of the Amazon rainforest that were converted to agricultural land had higher soil and air temperatures, which can exacerbate drought conditions. In comparison, forested land had rates of evapotranspiration that were about three times higher, adding more water vapor to the air.

Trees also absorb carbon dioxide, mitigating the emission of greenhouse gases produced by human activity. As climate change continues, trees play an important role in carbon sequestration, or the capture and storage of excess carbon dioxide. Tropical trees alone are estimated to provide about 23% of the climate mitigation that's needed to offset climate change , according to the World Resources Institute (opens in new tab) , a nonprofit global research institute.

Deforestation not only eliminates vegetation that is important for removing carbon dioxide from the air, but the act of clearing the forests also produces greenhouse gas emissions. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations says that deforestation is the second-leading cause of climate change. (opens in new tab) (The first is the burning of fossil fuels.) In fact, deforestation accounts for nearly 20% of greenhouse gas emissions.

Developing alternatives to deforestation can help decrease the need for tree clearing. For example, the desire to expand the amount of land used for agriculture is a compelling economic reason to deforest an area. But if people adopted sustainable farming practices or employed new farming technologies and crops, the need for more land might be diminished, according to the UN's Sustainable Forest Management Toolbox. (opens in new tab)

Forests can also be restored, through replanting trees in cleared areas or simply allowing the forest ecosystem to regenerate over time. The goal of restoration is to return the forest to its original state, before it was cleared, according to the U.S. Forest Service (opens in new tab) . The sooner a cleared area is reforested, the quicker the ecosystem can start to repair itself. Afterward, wildlife will return, water systems will reestablish, carbon will be sequestered and soils will be replenished.

Everyone can do their part to curb deforestation. We can buy certified wood products (opens in new tab) — made from wood that has been sustainably harvested — go paperless, limit our consumption of products that use palm oil and plant a tree when possible. However, deforestation is a global problem that won't be overcome by individual actions, and will require large-scale efforts by nations' leaders to change course and reduce forest destruction.

In 2020, more than 100 countries pledged to end and reverse deforestation by 2030, signing an agreement at the 26th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. A dozen countries that signed the pledge promised to provide $12 billion between 2022 and 2025 to mitigate the damage to forests from wildfires, to restore land and to assist Indigenous communities, The Guardian reported (opens in new tab) on Jan. 3. Other donors in the private sector pledged $7.2 billion, to support the development of agriculture strategies that do not rely on deforestation.

Check out this animation of deforestation in the Amazon (opens in new tab) made with images from NASA's Landsat 5 and 7 satellites. You can learn more about forest conservation efforts (opens in new tab) from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Read more about the problems caused by deforestation (opens in new tab) according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

World Wildlife Fund, “Deforestation and Forest Degradation”. https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation-and-forest-degradation#causes

National Geographic Society Resource Library, “Deforestation”. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/deforestation/

The New York Times, "'Going in the Wrong Direction': More Tropical Forest Loss in 2019," June 2, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/02/climate/deforestation-climate-change.html

World Bank Blogs, "Five forest figures for the International Day of Forests," March 21, 2016. https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/five-forest-figures-international-day-forests

Global Forest Watch, "2017 Was the Second-Worst Year on Record for Tropical Tree Cover Loss," June 27, 2018. https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/data-and-research/2017-was-the-second-worst-year-on-record-for-tropical-tree-cover-loss/

The Guardian, "One football pitch of forest lost every second in 2017, data reveals," June 27, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2018/jun/27/one-football-pitch-of-forest-lost-every-second-in-2017-data-reveals

National Geographic, "The Amazon is burning at record rates—and deforestation is to blame," August 21, 2019 https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/wildfires-in-amazon-caused-by-deforestation (opens in new tab)

Rainforest Rescue, "Palm oil – deforestation for everyday products". https://www.rainforest-rescue.org/topics/palm-oil

Union of Concerned Scientists, "What's Driving Deforestation?" Feb 8, 2016. https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/whats-driving-deforestation

Business Wire, "Global Palm Oil Market (2020 to 2025) - Drivers, Restraints & Trends," April 07, 2020. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200407005439/en/Global-Palm-Oil-Market-2020-to-2025---Drivers-Restraints-Trends---ResearchAndMarkets.com

Global Forest Watch, "Uganda Deforestation Rates & Statistics" https://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/country/UGA/

Good Black News, "Uganda Native Sanga Moses Awarded $1 Million to Boost his Innovative Energy Business, Eco-Fuel Africa," April 23, 2015. https://goodblacknews.org/2015/04/23/uganda-native-sanga-moses-awarded-1-million-to-boost-his-innovative-energy-business-eco-fuel-africa/

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, "The State of the World's Forests: 2020". https://www.fao.org/state-of-forests/en/

Oliveira et al. "Effects of land‐cover changes on the partitioning of surface energy and water fluxes in Amazonia using high‐resolution satellite imagery," Ecohydrology, 2019. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/eco.2126

World Resources Institute, "By the Numbers: The Value of Tropical Forests in the Climate Change Equation," October 4, 2018. https://www.wri.org/insights/numbers-value-tropical-forests-climate-change-equation

United Nations, "Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Toolbox." https://www.fao.org/sustainable-forest-management/toolbox/modules/reducing-deforestation/in-more-depth/en/

U.S. Forest Service, "Reforestation" https://www.fs.fed.us/forestmanagement/vegetation-management/reforestation/index.shtml

Sarah Derouin is a science journalist based in Michigan. She has a doctorate in geology from the University of Cincinnati and is a graduate of the University of California-Santa Cruz Science Communication program. Her work has appeared in Eos, Mongabay, Scientific American, and other news outlets. She is also an assistant producer on Big Picture Science radio show and podcast.

Deforestation Causes and Effects Essay

Deforestation refers to the act of clearing trees without replacing them. This often happens when someone is creating land for uses such as settlement and cultivation, among others (Spilsbury 9). Currently, it is one of the biggest threats to human life, owing to the fact that forests provide a support system for all living organisms. Forests are a crucial element of the ecosystem, and human beings have an ethical responsibility to conserve them. However, due to natural occurrences and human activities, a lot of forest cover is lost every year. Deforestation is a global challenge that has caused a lot of pain in different parts of the world. Finding a lasting solution to the problem of deforestation is of paramount importance because its effects are unmanageable.

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The challenge of deforestation has existed for centuries, leading to the loss of a huge percentage of forest cover across the world. One of the major causes of deforestation is the increasing need for fuel (Spilsbury 12). It also happens due to the need for more settlement land, the growth of the global timber industry that has increased the demand for commercial items such as furniture, as well as the scarcity of adequate land for cultivation. Wildfires are also a contributor to deforestation, albeit in small percentages compared to the other causes (Spilsbury 19). People should be more environmentally conscious because forest clearing is destroying the ecosystem. Deforestation causes serious effects on the environment. One of the major effects is the loss of natural habitats for thousands of species. Forests are an essential support system for the livelihoods of many plants and wild animals. Climate change is also caused by deforestation (Spilsbury 27). Over the last century, global weather patterns have drastically changed. Deforestation has resulted in irregular and extreme climatic conditions that have rendered life unbearable. The global temperatures have increased, while the amount of rainfall received has greatly reduced (Spilsbury 32). The lack of trees increases the effect of greenhouse gases, which in turn affects the life cycle. Deforestation also leads to a general decline in the quality of life. Trees are essential in maintaining the water cycles, reducing soil erosion, and regulating the effect of greenhouse gases (Spilsbury 41). They also help to prevent all types of pollution, which is crucial in maintaining a high quality of life. This element should not be ignored because trees play an important role in the ecosystem. Effective management of deforestation will require all the relevant stakeholders to come up with a strong legal framework.

Deforestation is a serious global challenge that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. It is important for people to understand the value of trees with regard to maintaining the life cycle. This will help in encouraging good stewardship. Several causes of deforestation, such as clearing land for cultivation and settlement, are influenced by human activities. These activities have led to serious effects such as climate change, whose effects are costly to address. Proper coordination between respective government authorities and their citizens can lead to finding a lasting solution to this challenge. It is very important to protect the forests in order to avoid the loss of biodiversity, plant and animal species, as well as manage the effects of climate change.

Spilsbury, Richard. Deforestation . The Rosen Publishing Group, 2011.

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Essay on Deforestation

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Deforestation is the process of clearing trees and forest for other uses. Deforestation usually occurs due to city expansion. As habitats increase in cities, there is a need to create more space the for homes, organizations, and factories. This, however, has a damning effect on our environment.

Effect of Deforestation on the Environment:

Deforestation means fewer trees and more land. This has a serious adverse effect on our environment. On one hand, deforestation makes some animals homeless. Animals that survive in the forest might go extinct with less forest. On the other hand, deforestation is also the biggest cause of climate change around the world.

Preventing Deforestation:

Reducing or preventing deforestation is easier said than done. This is because trees are cut down because there is a pressing need to do so. Thus, to prevent deforestation we must try to reduce that need by making smarter choices in paper usage, city planning, migration, etc.

The essence of plant life in the forest is unquestionable. To ensure a greener environment we must all join the efforts in reducing deforestation.

Deforestation is definitely one of the most troubling of all problems which has plagued our environment. It is important more than ever to take care of the green cover or else it can jeopardize the existence of life on Earth. It is owing to the presence of green trees that we get the oxygen needed to breathe in.

However, because of excessive exploitation by humans, it has been seen that the trees are being cut down mercilessly. This act of cleaning the green cover is known as deforestation.

Educate people:

The best way to handle the problem of deforestation is by making sure that we educate the masses regarding the importance of green cover. When people understand as to how deforestation is leading to grave consequences, they will get the incentive to plant trees rather than uproot them.

Protect the Environment:

As we have continued to exploit the environment in a way that it is hard to get things back to normal, it is now important to immediately start protecting the environment. A lot of natural calamities are occurring these days because the ecosystem balance has been disturbed. Deforestation alone is responsible for a major amount of problems.

So, you need to understand as to how you can come up with ways to excite people about planting more trees and doing their bit for the sake of the environment. Think of your children and grand children. If we continue with our aggressive deforestation campaigns, they are not likely to have a healthy environment for survival. Is that what we really want?

Deforestation can be defined as the removal of trees and clearing of forests for the personal and commercial benefits of human beings. Deforestation has emerged as one of the biggest man-made disasters recently. Every year, more and more trees and vegetation are being erased just to fulfill the various needs of the human race.

Deforestation happens for many reasons. The growing population is one of them. Rising human population needs more area for residential purpose. For this, forests are either burned down or cut to make space for constructing homes and apartments.

Deforestation is also done for commercial purposes. This includes setting up of factories, industries, and towers, etc. The enormous requirements of feeding the human race also create a burden on the land. As a result, clearing land for agricultural purposes leads to deforestation.

Deforestation impacts our earth in several ways. Trees are natural air purifiers. They absorb the carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen into the atmosphere. Deforestation results in uncontrolled air pollution. When there are fewer trees, there is lesser absorption of carbon dioxide and other pollutants.

Deforestation also disturbs the water cycle. Forests absorb the groundwater and release the water vapors to form clouds, which in turn cause rains. Roots of trees hold the soil intact and prevent floods. But when there are no trees, different kinds of natural calamities are bound to happen.

With deforestation, chances of floods, drought, global warming, and disturbed weather cycle all come into the play. Not only that, the disappearance of forests means the extinction of wild animals and plants, which are highly important parts of our ecosystem.

In order to curb these disasters, we must plant more trees. Restoration of existing vegetation is equally essential. Population control is another indirect method to save trees and forest areas.

Deforestation is the process of cutting down of trees and forests completely or partially for different reasons like manufacturing different products with various parts of the tree as raw material, to build structures and other buildings, etc. Deforestation in recent days has become the curse of our world that resulted in the destruction of nature and the environment.

Cause and Drawbacks:

Deforestation is mainly done for making better living assets for humans and this one side thought is the biggest drawback of this issue. Instead of doing only the cutting part humans should practice forestation along with deforestation. Whenever a tree or a forest is cut, another one should be planted at the same place or on other lands to promote the forestation.

Deforestation is the main cause for many natural deficiencies and the destruction of many animal, plant and bird species. If the practice of cutting down trees continues, then eventually even the world may get destructed along with the extinction of the human race.

It’s not like trees shouldn’t be used for any kind of production and urbanization or industrialization shouldn’t be done for the development, but the main factor is to compensate for every minus done. Through this, there will be a balancing between the reduction and plantation which will help, to an extent, in the rectification of problems faced by the world due to deforestation.

Deforestation has also affected the atmospheric air combination. The carbon content in the atmosphere has considerably increased over years due to many human activities like uncontrolled fuel combustion.

Forest has played a massive function of inhaling the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and exhaling oxygen during the daytime while they prepare food for themselves. This process is the reason for maintaining a balanced oxygen and carbon level in the atmosphere and that makes the life of us humans to breathe free.

Population growth is undeniably the major factor behind the increased deforestation level. The increased demand for more assets for better living has increased the need for deforestation as well. In such cases forestation should also be made as a follow-up process.

Controlling the overuse of assets can also help in reducing the deforestation rate. If humans start to use products that use a tree as raw material reasonably then it will help in avoiding deforestation as well. Deforestation not only is a life-threatening scenario for many animals and birds, but also the whole human species.

Deforestation refers to the elimination of plants and trees from a region. Deforestation also includes the clearing of jungles and plants from the region due to the numerous commercial motives.

Different Causes of Deforestation:

The below are the different causes of deforestation:

1. Overgrazing:

Overgrazing in jungles finishes recently renewed development. It makes the soil additional compact and invulnerable. The fertility of the soil also reduces owing to the devastation of organic substance. Overgrazing also results in the desertification and the soil erosion. Deforestation results in decreasing the overall soil’s productivity.

2. Shifting Cultivation:

Numerous agriculturalists destroy the jungle for farming and commercial motives and once productiveness of soil is shattered owing to recurrent harvesting, a fresh forest region is devastated. Hence, farmers must be recommended to utilize a similar area for agriculture and use some upgraded farming techniques and stop the deforestation.

The maximum amount of forest is destroyed for the fuel wood. Around 86% of the fuel wood is utilized in rural regions in comparison to the 14% in urban parts and hence lead to more deforestation.

4. Forest Fires:

Recurrent fires in the forest regions are one of the major reasons of deforestation. Few incidents of fires are minor whereas the maximum of them are huge.

The industries related to the plywood and timber is mostly accountable for the deforestation. In fact, the huge demand for wooden things has resulted in the quick reduction of the forest.

6. Industry Establishment:

At times the industrial unit is constructed after deforestation. It means for a small achievement of few people, all other people have to bear a permanent loss. In this procedure, wild animals, valuable plant, and unusual birds get devastated. In fact, it adversely affects the quality of the environment.

7. Violation of Forest:

One more reason of deforestation is a violation by tribal on the land of forest for cultivation and other motives. Even though such type of land has a virtuous support for agriculture creation but still it creates environmental threats.

8. Forest Diseases:

Numerous diseases are instigated by rusts, parasitic fungi, nematodes and viruses that result in demise and deterioration of jungle. Fresh saplings are devastated owing to the occurrence of nematodes. Numerous diseases like blister rust, heart rot, and phloem necrosis, oak will, and Dutch elm, etc. destroy the jungle in large quantities.

The landslide lead to the deforestation in the mountains is a question of worry. It happened largely in the regions where growing actions are proceeding for the previous few years. The building of highways and railways mainly in hilly lands as well as the structure of large irrigation plans have resulted in enough deforestation and speeded the natural procedure of denudation.

Worldwide Solution for the Deforestation:

The jungle is an essential natural reserve for any nation and deforestation slow down a nation’s growth. To encounter the necessities of the growing population, simple resources might be attained only with the help of afforestation. It is actually the arrangement of implanting plants for food and food growth. Moreover, the nurseries have a significant part in increasing the coverage of the forest area.

Deforestation is the cutting down of trees. It is basically changing the use of land to a different purpose other than the planting of trees.

There are many reasons which have led to large levels of deforestation all over the world. One of the major causes is ever growing population of the world. With the growth in population, the need for more land to live has been rising. This has further led to cutting down of trees. Also, with modernisation, there has been a substantial increase in the requirement of land for setting up of industries. This has again contributed to deforestation.

Mining is another activity of humans which has led to large-scale deforestation in many areas. The need to build road and rail network in order to increase connectivity to the mines has led to cutting down of trees. This has altered the climatic conditions in these areas.

Deforestation has had a huge impact on the environment. Lack of trees has led to less release of water vapour in the air. This has, in turn, led to the alteration of rainfall patterns in different regions. India is a country which is dependent on monsoon rains for agriculture. Frequent droughts and floods caused due to deforestation have affected the lives of many in different parts of the country.

Moreover, trees absorb the carbon-dioxide from the air and help to purify it. Without trees around us, the presence of harmful gases in the air has been rising. This has also led to global warming which is again a major environmental concern. Also, the ever-rising pollution level, especially in many cities in India is due to vast deforestation only.

Additionally, trees bind the soil around them and prevent soil erosion. Deforestation has led to the soil being washed away with winds and rain, making the land unfit for agriculture. Also, trees and forests are the homes to different species of wildlife. With shrinking forests, several of the wildlife has become extinct as they were not able to cope with the changing conditions. Also, there have been increased man and wildlife conflicts in recent times as the animals are forced to venture in the cities in search of food. All these are severe effects of deforestation and need urgent attention by all.

The Perfect Example:

New Delhi is the capital of India. There was once a time when Delhi was a beautiful city. But with modernisation, increase in population, deforestation and mining in the nearby Aravalli hills, Delhi has been reduced to a gas chamber. Such is the impact the Delhi has become one of the most polluted cities in the world. What better example can be there to understand what deforestation has led us to?

There are many ways in which we can reduce deforestation. We must protect our forests. Moreover, we must mark adequate land for our farming needs. There are some laws already in place which prohibit people from unnecessary felling of trees. What needs to be done is the proper execution of the rules so that everyone abides by it. Also, stricter punishments need to be in place for violators so as to deter other people from disobeying the laws. Alternatively, people need to ensure that for every tree felled, equal numbers of trees are planted so that the balance of nature can be maintained. Summarily, it has to be a collective duty of all and just the governments alone, if we really need to reduce deforestation.

It is true that we all need space to live. With the ever-growing population and urbanisation, there has been more than ever need to cut trees and make space. However, we must realise that it is not possible for us to live without having trees around us. Trees bring so many benefits such as giving us oxygen, utilising the harmful carbon dioxide and so many products we need in our daily lives. Without trees around us, there would be no life on the earth. We should all do the needful to protect trees and reduce deforestation.

Deforestation is also known as clearing or clearance of trees. It can be said to mean removal of strands of trees or forests and the conversion of such area of land to a use that is totally non-forest in nature. Some deforestation examples are the converting of areas of forest to urban, ranches or farms use. The area of land that undergoes the most deforestation is the tropical rainforests. It is important to note that forests cover more than 31 percent in total land area of the surface of the earth.

There are a lot of different reasons why deforestation occurs: some tree are being cut down for building or as fuel (timber or coal), while areas of land are to be used as plantation and also as pasture to feed livestock. When trees are removed with properly replacing them, there can as a result be aridity, loss of biodiversity and even habitat damage. We have also had cases of deforestation used in times of war to starve the enemy.

Causes of Deforestation:

It has been discovered that the major and primary deforestation cause is agriculture. Studies have shown that about 48 percent of all deforestation is as a result of subsistence farming and 32 percent of deforestation is as a result of commercial agriculture. Also, it was discovered that logging accounts for about 14% of the total deforestation and 5% is from the removal for fuel wood.

There has been no form of agreement from experts on if industrial form of logging is a very important contributing factor to deforestation globally. Some experts have argued that the clearing of forests is something poor people do more as a result of them not having other alternatives. Other experts are of the belief that the poor seldom clear forests because they do not have the resources needed to do that. A study has also revealed that increase in population as a result of fertility rates that are very high are not a major driver of deforestation and they only influenced less than 8% of the cases of deforestation.

The Environmental Effects of Deforestation:

Deforestation has a lot of negative effects on our planet and environment.

A few of the areas where it negatively affects our environment are discussed below:

i. Atmospheric Effect:

Global warming has deforestation as one of its major contributing factors and deforestation is also a key cause of greenhouse effect. About 20% of all the emission of greenhouse gases is as a result of tropical deforestation. The land in an area that is deforested heats up quicker and it gets to a temperature that is higher than normal, causing a change in solar energy absorption, flow of water vapours and even wind flows and all of these affects the local climate of the area and also the global climate.

Also, the burning of plants in the forest in order to carry out clearing of land, incineration cause a huge amount of carbon dioxide release which is a major and important contributor to the global warming.

ii. Hydrological Effect:

Various researches have shown that deforestation greatly affects water cycle. Groundwater is extracted by trees through the help of their roots; the water extracted is then released into the surrounding atmosphere. If we remove a part of the forest, there will not be transpiration of water like it should be and this result in the climate being a lot drier. The water content of the soil is heavily reduced by deforestation and also atmospheric moisture as well as groundwater. There is a reduced level of water intake that the trees can extract as a result of the dry soil. Soil cohesion is also reduced by deforestation and this can result in landslides, flooding and erosion.

iii. Effect on Soil:

As a direct result of the plant litter on the surface, there is a minimal and reduced erosion rate in forests largely undisturbed. Deforestation increases the erosion rate as a result of the subsequent decrease in the quantity of cover of litter available. The litter cover actually serves as a protection for the soil from all varieties of surface runoff. When mechanized equipments and machineries are used in forestry operations, there can be a resulting erosion increase as a result of the development of roads in the forests.

iv. Effect on Biodiversity:

There is a biodiversity decline due to deforestation. Deforestation can lead to the death and extinction of a lot of species of animals and plants. The habitat of various animals are taken away as a result of deforestation.

The total coverage of forests on the earth’s landmass is 30 percent and the fact the people are destroying them is worrying. Research reveals that majority of the tropical forests on earth are being destroyed. We are almost at half the forest landmass in destruction. How would earth look life without forests? It will be a total disaster if deforestation is encouraged. Deforestation is a human act in which forests are permanently destroyed in order to create settlement area and use the trees for industries like paper manufacture, wood and construction. A lot of forests have been destroyed and the impact has been felt through climate change and extinction of animals due to destruction of the ecosystem. The impacts of deforestation are adverse and there is need to prevent and control it before it can get any worse.

Deforestation is mainly a human activity affected by many factors. Overpopulation contributed to deforestation because there is need to create a settlement area for the increasing number of people on earth and the need for urbanization for economic reasons. Recently, population has greatly risen in the world and people require shelter as a basic need. Forests are destroyed in order for people to find land to build a shelter and then trees are further cut to build those houses. Overpopulation is a major threat to the forest landmass and if not controlled, people will continue to occupy the forests until there is no more forest coverage on earth.

Another factor influencing deforestation is industrialization. Industries that use trees to manufacture their product e.g. paper and wood industries have caused major destruction of forests. The problem with industries is the large-scale need for trees which causes extensive deforestation. The use of timber in industries is a treat to forests all over the world. In as much as we need furniture, paper and homes, it is not worth the massive destruction of our forests.

Fires are also a cause of deforestation. During episodes of drought, fire spreads widely and burns down trees. The fire incidences could result from human activities like smoking or charcoal burning in the forests. Drought due to adverse weather changes in global warming is a natural disaster that claim the lives of people and living things.

Agricultural activities such as farming and livestock keeping also cause deforestation because of the land demand in those activities. Deforestation for farming purpose involves clearing all the vegetation on the required land and using it for and then burring the vegetation hence the name ‘slash and burn agriculture’. The ranches required for cattle keeping among other livestock require a large area that is clear from trees.

Impacts of Deforestation:

Deforestation has a great impact on the ecosystem in different ways. Climate change is influenced by deforestation because trees influence weather directly. Trees usually act to protect against strong winds and erosion but in its absence, natural disasters like floods and storms could be experienced. Also, tree are important in replenishing the air in the atmosphere. Trees have the ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen. Without trees, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will be increased. Because carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, it causes global warming.

Global warming is a serious environmental issue that causes adverse climatic changes and affects life on earth. Extreme weather conditions like storms, drought and floods. These weather conditions are not conducive for humans and other living things on earth. Natural disasters as a result of global warming are very destructive both to animate and inanimate objects in the environment.

Loss of species due to deforestation has negatively affected biodiversity. Biodiversity is a highly valued aspect of life on earth and its interruption is a loss. There is a loss of habitat for species to exist in as a result of deforestation and therefore species face extinction. Extinction of some rare species is a threat we are currently facing. Animals that live and depend on forest vegetation for food will also suffer and eventually die of hunger. Survival has been forced on animals of the jungle due to deforestation and that is why human wildlife conflict is being experienced.

The water cycle on earth is negatively affected by deforestation. The existence of water vapor in the atmosphere is maintained by trees. Absence of trees cause a reduced vapor retention in the atmosphere which result in adverse climate changes. Trees and other forest vegetation are important in preventing water pollution because they prevent the contaminated runoff into water sources like rivers, lakes and oceans. Without trees, pollution of water is more frequent and therefore the water will be unsafe for consumption by human and animals.

Solutions to Deforestation:

Based on the serious impact of deforestation, it is only safe if solutions are sought to end this problem. The ultimate solution is definitely restoration of the forest landmass on earth. The restoration can be done by encouraging the planting of trees, a process called reforestation. Although reforestation will not completely solve the impacts of deforestation, it will restore a habitat for the wild animals and slowly restore the ecosystem. Major impacts like concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere require another approach. Human activities that contribute to carbon dioxide gas emission to the atmosphere have to be reduced through strict policies for industries and finding alternative energy sources that do not produce greenhouse gases.

Another solution is public awareness. People have to be made aware that deforestation has negative effects so that they can reduce the act. Through awareness, people can also be taught on ways of reducing the population e.g., family planning. On World Environment Day, people are encouraged to participate in activities like tree planting in order to conserve environment and that is how the awareness takes place.

In conclusion, deforestation is a human activity that is destructive and should be discouraged. Environmental conservation is our responsibility because we have only one earth to live in.

Deforestation , Environment , Forests

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Deforestation happens when forests are destroyed permanently and the land is used for other purposes such as agriculture, mining, or infrastructure building. Forests cover about 30% of the planet and the ecosystem they create play an essential role in supporting life on earth but deforestation is clearing earth’s forest at a massive scale and at the current and at the current rate of destruction, the world’s rainforest can completely disappear within a 100 years.

Importance of Forests

The importance can’t be underestimated.

Forests are essential for our survival, from the air we breathe to the wood we use. Forests also offer protection from soil erosion, watershed protection, and reduce climate change. Forests also provide protection from Storms. In addition to helping regulate the earth’s climate, forests provide habitats for over 80% of the plants and animals that live on land.

Forests are vital to our health and forests act as a guardian of terrestrial biodiversity. Around 75% of the most commonly prescribed medicines source their ingredients from forests.

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Forests are a natural cooling system of the planet which means the temperature is noticeably lower than in open areas or in the city, as trees use solar energy to evaporate moisture, which has a cooling effect on the environment.

Forests also contribute to slowing down global warming as forests are the world’s largest carbon sink after oceans. The more forests there are the less CO2 there will be in the atmosphere. Less woods implies bigger measures of ozone-harming substances entering the climate, and sped up and seriousness of an Earth-wide temperature boost.

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Essay on Deforestation

Students are often asked to write an essay on Deforestation in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word and 250-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Deforestation

Deforestation is the cutting down of trees and other vegetation from forests for various reasons. It is a major cause of global warming and climate change which has a negative impact on the environment.

Reasons for Deforestation

The main reasons for deforestation are human activities such as logging, mining, farming, and urban expansion. Deforestation has also been caused by natural disasters such as forest fires and droughts.

Effects of Deforestation

Deforestation has a number of negative effects on the environment. It leads to soil erosion, loss of habitat for wild animals, and the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which contributes to global warming.

Prevention of Deforestation

To prevent deforestation, governments must take strict measures to protect forests. This includes banning logging and ensuring that any development is done in a sustainable manner. People must also be educated about the importance of protecting forests.

250 Words Essay on Deforestation

Deforestation is the destruction of natural forests by cutting trees or burning them down for agricultural land, urban development, logging and other uses. This has a drastic effect on the environment and the biodiversity of the area. It also causes global warming and climate change as the trees are not able to absorb the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

One of the main reasons for deforestation is the increasing demand for agricultural land. As the population increases, more land is needed for farming and cattle grazing. Other reasons include logging for furniture and paper products, urban development, and the use of wood for fuel. All these activities have a negative effect on the environment.

Deforestation has serious consequences for the environment. It reduces the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the trees and increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This leads to global warming and climate change. It also destroys the natural habitat of plants and animals, and leads to soil erosion and flooding. Furthermore, it can disrupt the water cycle, leading to water scarcity.

Solutions to Deforestation

In order to reduce the effects of deforestation, we need to find solutions that are sustainable and promote reforestation. Governments should introduce laws to protect forests, and encourage the use of renewable energy sources. Planting trees should be encouraged, and people should be educated about the importance of forests. Additionally, recycling and using recycled paper products should be encouraged.

Deforestation has a devastating effect on the environment and biodiversity. It leads to global warming and climate change, and disrupts the water cycle. In order to reduce the effects of deforestation, we need to find sustainable solutions that promote reforestation and the use of renewable energy sources. Educating people about the importance of forests is also essential.

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Deforestation: Facts, causes & effects | Live Science
Bibliography. Deforestation is the permanent removal of trees to make room for something besides forest. Deforestation can include clearing the land for farming or livestock, or using the timber ...
Deforestation Essay - Causes and Effects of Deforestation
Causes of Deforestation. Some of the most common causes of deforestation are globalization, urbanization, overpopulation and climate. Trees are being cut down for construction purpose, lands are cleared for growing crops and trees are also used as firewood.
Deforestation Causes and Effects - 544 Words | Essay Example
Deforestation causes serious effects on the environment. One of the major effects is the loss of natural habitats for thousands of species. Forests are an essential support system for the livelihoods of many plants and wild animals. Climate change is also caused by deforestation (Spilsbury 27).
Essay on Deforestation: 8 Selected Essays ... - The Wisdom Post
Deforestation means fewer trees and more land. This has a serious adverse effect on our environment. On one hand, deforestation makes some animals homeless. Animals that survive in the forest might go extinct with less forest. On the other hand, deforestation is also the biggest cause of climate change around the world. Preventing Deforestation:
Deforestation: Causes and Effects Free Essay Example
Deforestation: Causes and Effects Free Essay Example Essay Sample: Deforestation happens when forests are destroyed permanently and the land is used for other purposes such as agriculture, mining, or infrastructure StudyMoose App 24/7 writing help on your phone Add To install StudyMoose Apptap and then “Add to Home Screen” Free essays My List(0)
Essay on Effects of Deforestation for Students ... - Toppr-guides
Deforestation causes disruption in the ecological balance. Moreover, it also interferes with the lives of wildlife and human beings as well. Firstly, when there won’t be many forests left, the water cycle of the earth will get disturbed. There won’t be enough trees left to absorb the water. Moreover, it will cause floods and droughts too.
The Causes And Effects Of Deforestation Sociology Essay
Deforestation happens because the trees were cut down for crop production. With the production, they could repay back the debt. Besides that, the demand of land keep on increasing as times goes by. This is because the increase in popularity has increased the demand of land to build houses.
Essay on Deforestation for Students - aspiringyouths.com
Introduction. Deforestation is the destruction of natural forests by cutting trees or burning them down for agricultural land, urban development, logging and other uses. This has a drastic effect on the environment and the biodiversity of the area. It also causes global warming and climate change as the trees are not able to absorb the carbon ...