the effect of deforestation essay

ENVIRONMENT

Why deforestation matters—and what we can do to stop it

Large scale destruction of trees—deforestation—affects ecosystems, climate, and even increases risk for zoonotic diseases spreading to humans.

As the world seeks to slow the pace of climate change , preserve wildlife, and support more than eight billion people , trees inevitably hold a major part of the answer. Yet the mass destruction of trees—deforestation—continues, sacrificing the long-term benefits of standing trees for short-term gain of fuel, and materials for manufacturing and construction.

We need trees for a variety of reasons, not least of which is that they absorb the carbon dioxide we exhale and the heat-trapping greenhouse gases that human activities emit. As those gases enter the atmosphere, global warming increases, a trend scientists now prefer to call climate change.

There is also the imminent danger of disease caused by deforestation. An estimated 60 percent of emerging infectious diseases come from animals, and a major cause of viruses’ jump from wildlife to humans is habitat loss, often through deforestation.

But we can still save our forests. Aggressive efforts to rewild and reforest are already showing success. Tropical tree cover alone can provide 23 percent of the climate mitigation needed to meet goals set in the Paris Agreement in 2015, according to one estimate .

Causes of deforestation

Forests still cover about 30 percent of the world’s land area, but they are disappearing at an alarming rate. Since 1990, the world has lost more than 420 million hectares or about a billion acres of forest, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations —mainly in Africa and South America. About 17 percent of the Amazonian rainforest has been destroyed over the past 50 years, and losses recently have been on the rise . The organization Amazon Conservation reports that destruction rose by 21 percent in 2020 , a loss the size of Israel.

Farming, grazing of livestock, mining, and drilling combined account for more than half of all deforestation . Forestry practices, wildfires and, in small part, urbanization account for the rest. In Malaysia and Indonesia, forests are cut down to make way for producing palm oil , which can be found in everything from shampoo to saltine crackers. In the Amazon, cattle ranching and farms—particularly soy plantations—are key culprits .

Logging operations, which provide the world’s wood and paper products, also fell countless trees each year. Loggers, some of them acting illegally , also build roads to access more and more remote forests—which leads to further deforestation. Forests are also cut as a result of growing urban sprawl as land is developed for homes.

Not all deforestation is intentional. Some is caused by a combination of human and natural factors like wildfires and overgrazing, which may prevent the growth of young trees.

Why it matters

There are some 250 million people who live in forest and savannah areas and depend on them for subsistence and income—many of them among the world’s rural poor.

Eighty percent of Earth’s land animals and plants live in forests , and deforestation threatens species including the orangutan , Sumatran tiger , and many species of birds. Removing trees deprives the forest of portions of its canopy, which blocks the sun’s rays during the day and retains heat at night. That disruption leads to more extreme temperature swings that can be harmful to plants and animals.

With wild habitats destroyed and human life ever expanding, the line between animal and human areas blurs, opening the door to zoonotic diseases . In 2014, for example, the Ebola virus killed over 11,000 people in West Africa after fruit bats transmitted the disease to a toddler who was playing near trees where bats were roosting.

( How deforestation is leading to more infectious diseases in humans .)

What is the ozone layer, and why does it matter?

Will the COP26 global deforestation pledge save forests?

This is the story of the first Earth Day—and why it mattered

Some scientists believe there could be as many as 1.7 million currently “undiscovered” viruses in mammals and birds, of which up to 827,000 could have the ability to infect people, according to a 2018 study .

Deforestation’s effects reach far beyond the people and animals where trees are cut. The South American rainforest, for example, influences regional and perhaps even global water cycles, and it's key to the water supply in Brazilian cities and neighboring countries. The Amazon actually helps furnish water to some of the soy farmers and beef ranchers who are clearing the forest. The loss of clean water and biodiversity from all forests could have many other effects we can’t foresee, touching even your morning cup of coffee .

In terms of climate change, cutting trees both adds carbon dioxide to the air and removes the ability to absorb existing carbon dioxide. If tropical deforestation were a country, according to the World Resources Institute , it would rank third in carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions, behind China and the U.S.

What can be done

The numbers are grim, but many conservationists see reasons for hope . A movement is under way to preserve existing forest ecosystems and restore lost tree cover by first reforesting (replanting trees) and ultimately rewilding (a more comprehensive mission to restore entire ecosystems).

( Which nation could be the first to be rewilded ?)

Organizations and activists are working to fight illegal mining and logging—National Geographic Explorer Topher White, for example, has come up with a way to use recycled cell phones to monitor for chainsaws . In Tanzania, the residents of Kokota have planted more than 2 million trees on their small island over a decade, aiming to repair previous damage. And in Brazil, conservationists are rallying in the face of ominous signals that the government may roll back forest protections.

( Which tree planting projects should you support ?)

Stopping deforestation before it reaches a critical point will play a key role in avoiding the next zoonotic pandemic. A November 2022 study showed that when bats struggle to find suitable habitat, they travel closer to human communities where diseases are more likely to spillover. Inversely, when bats’ native habitats were left intact, they stayed away from humans. This research is the first to show how we can predict and avoid spillovers through monitoring and maintaining wildlife habitats.

For consumers, it makes sense to examine the products and meats you buy, looking for sustainably produced sources when you can. Nonprofit groups such as the Forest Stewardship Council and the Rainforest Alliance certify products they consider sustainable, while the World Wildlife Fund has a palm oil scorecard for consumer brands.

Climbing into the secret world of an ancient Bornean rainforest

Forests are reeling from climate change—but the future isn’t lost

They planted a forest at the edge of the desert. From there it got complicated.

Why forests are our best chance for survival in a warming world

Why this once isolated tribe took up cell phones and social media

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How Does Deforestation Affect the Environment?

Forests, a vital component of life on Earth, cover approximately 31% of our planet’s land area . However, more than 75% of the Earth’s surface has been modified and degraded by human activities such as deforestation. Destroying forests alters weather patterns, destroys habitats, and negatively affects rural communities, leading to food insecurity and causing irreversible damage to entire ecosystems. So how does deforestation affect the environment and what threats does it pose to living species?

To answer the question of how deforestation affects the environment, it is important to look at why humans need forests in the first place. Deforestation is the purposeful cleaning of forest land for other uses. Among the main reasons for this damaging practice are agricultural expansion and cattle breeding as well as to obtain raw materials such as palm oil, a key ingredient in cosmetics and food products widely used around the world, and timber used for fuel, manufacturing, and infrastructure development. Studies show that 15,3 billion trees are chopped down every year and over the past 12,000 years, nearly 50% of the world’s trees have been purposefully cleared by humans. This practice threatens our environment, from altering the climate and various ecosystems to compromising the existence of millions of humans and animals.

You might also like: 10 Deforestation Facts You Should Know About

1. Effects on Climate Change

The scientific consensus on deforestation is that it intensifies climate change at a dramatic rate. The Global Forest Watch made it clear: protecting tropical rainforests is essential for achieving the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. Trees are known for their capacity to absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. Healthy forests act as extremely valuable carbon sinks, with the Amazon rainforest being one of the world’s most important ones. However, deforestation is turning these sinks into huge net emitters , something that can have huge implications for slowing the pace of climate change and contributing to a steep rise in global temperatures. The current rate of rainforest-loss generated emissions is nearly 25% higher than those generated in the European Union and just slightly below US levels. Deforestation also increases the risk of uncontrollable wildfires because of humans burning vegetation. This, in turn, contributes to destroying forests, intensifying deforestation even more.

2. Effects on Soil Pollution and the Water Cycle

In addition to their role as carbon sinks, forests are a crucial component of the water cycle and have the all important function of preventing desertification. Cutting down trees can disrupt the cycle by decreasing precipitation and affecting river flow and water volume. In the case of the Amazon rainforest, research shows that at least 80% of its trees would be needed in order to keep the hydrological cycle going. With nearly 17% of the forest lost already, the Amazon is currently at its tipping point . Statistics show that deforestation in the tropics reduces precipitation over the Amazon by around 10% , or 138 millimeter, every year. In the South Asian Monsoon region, the reduction in rainfall is even higher, with around 18% less rain recorded in India in a single year.

Aside from their contribution to the water flow, trees help the land retain water and sustain forest life by supplying the soil with rich nutrients. Deforestation deprives the land of its cover, leaving the soil exposed to wind and rain. This makes soil vulnerable to being washed away, and prone to erosion. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), as much as half of the world’s topsoil has been lost as a consequence of the nearly 4 million square miles of forest that have been lost since the beginning of the 20th century.

3. The Effects on Humans

In answering the question of how does deforestation affect the environment, you may discover that in fact, it also has a direct impact on the human population. With the loss of trees and entire forests, homelands are also being destroyed in the process. Indigenous communities who live in forests and depend on them to sustain their life bear the brunt of impacts from deforestation. As their houses are destroyed and resources compromised, these tribes are forced to migrate elsewhere and find other ways to sustain themselves. The Amazon rainforest is home to over one million Indigenous people , mostly of Indian descent, divided into more than 400 indigenous tribes. They live in settled villages by the rivers, and grow and hunt their food. These “uncontacted” tribes live by the rules of nature but are becoming increasingly vulnerable to deforestation, which has forced many of them to migrate. While some of them move into areas occupied by other tribes, straining the land’s resources, others are forced to relocate to urban settings and completely change their way of living.

4. The Effects on Animals and Plants

Along with Indigenous tribes, animals are some of the biggest victims of deforestation. Forests around the world are home to more than 80% of all terrestrial animal, plant, and insect species . However, the rapid destruction of forests is contributing to a decline in biodiversity never seen before. The main effect of deforestation on animals and plants is the loss of their habitat. Many factors related to cutting down trees contribute to driving species to extinction. Through land erosion, the soil is depleted of its nutrients, a huge source of nourishment for animals and plants. Furthermore, many animal species are heavily reliant on specific plants and their fruits for food sources. When these resources are lost, animals become weaker, more vulnerable to diseases and often succumb to starvation. Another important role of trees is to regulate the temperature of forests and maintain it constant. When deforestation occurs, temperature variates more drastically from day to night and this extreme change can often prove fatal for many animal species.

5. The Effects on Food Security

One last major effect of deforestation is its impact on food security through the loss of biodiversity. While food availability for Indigenous tribes and animals that live in forests is reduced in the process of deforestation, its effects on weather patterns and soil degradation also drastically decrease agricultural productivity. Populations located in the proximity of tropical forests are mostly impacted by the worsening trend. Indeed, millions of people living in these areas depend almost entirely on agriculture and are thus extremely vulnerable to the impact of deforestation on food security, struggling to grow enough food and prevent crops from damage. It has been shown that the deforestation of the Amazon contributes to a decline in pasture productivity of about 39% as well as a drop of soy yields of nearly 25% in over half of the Amazon region and of a staggering 60% in a third of the area.

You might also like: 12 Major Companies Responsible for Deforestation

Can We Halt Deforestation?

Knowing how deforestation affect the environment more than one way and its catastrophic effects on the planet, it is crucial that people around the world take action to mitigate its impact. This can be done on an individual level, for example by reducing meat consumption, going paperless and recycling products as much as possible, opting for natural products that do not contain ingredients such as palm oil and supporting organisations and sustainable companies that are committed to reducing this dangerous practice. On a governmental level, the consequences of deforestation can be mitigated by introducing policies that protect natural forests and regulate mining and logging operations as well as other operations that require the destruction of tree plantations.

Featured image: Global Water for Sustainability

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Effects of deforestation on humans and the environment

Forests help make the planet livable for us all, but human activity is destroying them at an alarming rate. Deforestation represents a growing threat to all life on Earth, driving dangerous carbon emissions and exacerbating the climate crisis.

F orests provide a home to millions of diverse flora and fauna around the world. But the benefits of forests extend far beyond the wildlife who live there. They play a vital role in the world’s carbon cycle by balancing greenhouse gas emissions, making the air in our atmosphere breathable, and protecting against climate change. As companies cut down more and more of our forests to make room for agriculture and industry, the whole planet suffers the consequences. Deforestation threatens our environment, impacts human lives, and kills millions of animals every year.

Deforestation destroys ecosystems that are vital to wildlife and humans alike. Lush green forests offer a home to some of the world’s most iconic wild animals, from the jaguar to the panda, along with countless diverse species of vegetation. But the importance of forests doesn’t stop there. Like the ocean, forests absorb excess atmospheric carbon dioxide, serving as a much-needed buffer against irreversible climate change . In short, forests help sustain life around the world—far beyond where their tree lines end.

However, if humans continue to destroy forests at the current rate, forests may reach their breaking point. We cut down more than 15 billion trees each year. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that humans—or, more specifically, the corporations and industries they manage—converted 420 million hectares of forested land for other uses since 1990. That’s over 1 billion acres of forest cleared to make way for strip mines, cattle grazing, and industrial sprawl. And, out of all the industries that drive global deforestation, animal agriculture is one of the biggest culprits .

The meat industry routinely destroys forests to make way for cattle grazing and livestock feed. Since 1970, cattle ranching drove the vast majority of the deforestation in the Amazon . In other words, animal-centric diets are one of the main reasons we are losing our rainforests. “The biggest transformational change is needed in the way in which we produce and consume food,” warns the FAO, which calls agricultural expansion “ the main driver of deforestation .”

What is deforestation?

Deforestation is the mass removal of trees over a wide area. The term most often refers to the clearing of trees by humans, but natural processes such as flooding or fire can take down trees, too. Most frequently, deforestation occurs to clear land for other purposes, like farming, or to collect timber from the fallen trees.

Regardless of what drives deforestation, the end result is always the same: the destruction of an ecosystem that once played a vital role in protecting our planet.

The connection between factory farming pollution and deforestation

Every year, the factory farming industry raises and kills billions of animals for human consumption. Sadly, this process doesn’t just harm animals—it harms our planet, too.

Factory farms force thousands of animals to live together in extreme confinement. These facilities generate so much waste that they poison the surrounding air, water, and land , causing widespread health problems in nearby communities. And the negative impacts of factory farm pollution extend far beyond just the surrounding area. Animal waste emits greenhouse gases that accelerate climate change and pose an existential threat to communities around the world.

Forests defend against the threat of climate change by serving as a “ carbon sink .” The trees absorb carbon dioxide, removing excess greenhouse gas from the atmosphere and turning it into the oxygen we breathe. The “ greenhouse effect ” occurs when too many greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere, trapping heat from the sun and raising global atmospheric temperatures. Scientists attribute most human-driven climate change to the greenhouse effect. When humans cut down forests, more greenhouse gas emissions from industrial agriculture remain in the atmosphere, further contributing to the climate crisis.

Humans can survive without factory farms , but we can’t survive without healthy, breathable air. If deforestation and factory farming continues unabated, our planet, and our species, are headed for disaster.

What are the causes of deforestation?

In general, human activity is the driving force behind deforestation. Several industries clear and develop forested land for their own purposes, including agriculture, paper, mining, and logging.

Animal agriculture

To feed the global demand for meat, meat producers convert ecologically important forest habitats into land for grazing livestock and growing animal feed like soy and corn. The FAO reports that large-scale commercial agriculture was responsible for 40% of tropical deforestation from 2000–2010, with animal agriculture largely to blame. Tropical rainforests are the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world, providing home to species of vibrant orchids , tiny amphibians , and majestic great apes . Their destruction threatens thousands of these unique plant and animal species with permanent extinction.

“The quest for more land to graze cattle and grow livestock feed has been a driving force behind the destruction of tropical forests, particularly in Latin America,” the agency said. And the damage doesn’t stop at the destruction of forest: “In a few short years, overgrazing, compaction and nutrient loss turn cleared forest lands into eroded wastelands.”

Livestock ranching

Out of all forms of agriculture, cattle ranching claims the most forested land. Meat producers have cleared over 45 million hectares (or 111 million acres) of lush forests to create room for their cattle to graze. That’s something like 84 million football fields.

Cattle ranching has already wiped out millions of acres of the Amazon rainforest in South America , the world’s largest tropical forest. Whistleblowers called out JBS, the world’s largest meat producer, for illegally clearing protected lands in the Amazon rainforest into land for cattle grazing. The Brazilian company pledged to remove deforestation from its supply chain by the year 2035, but these promises may be too little, too late. Environmentalists argue that the corporate pledge is “ grossly insufficient ,” with deforestation accelerating rapidly and the threat of irreversible climate change growing closer every day.

Growing animal feed

Soybean production accounts for vast amounts of deforestation. While food companies process some of these soybeans into tofu, soy sauce, and other products for human consumption, a majority of soy production—around 75%—goes toward feeding farmed animals.

As soy production took over previously forested land, Brazil’s Cerrado savannah lost half of its forest to agriculture. Investigations into meat industry supply chains reveal the link between deforestation in Cerrado to factory farms the world over. Industrial farms in the UK import soy grown in this region to feed their chickens, which in turn supply meat from factory-farmed chickens to food companies like McDonald’s and Tesco.

Thanks to a new tool from Mighty Earth, it's now possible to see exactly which companies are responsible for the bulk of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado. The Soy & Cattle Deforestation Tracker ranks soy producers and meatpackers according to the amount of land they're responsible for clearing. The world's largest meat company, JBS, tops out the list at 100,711 hectares—74,701 of which, according to Mighty Earth, have likely been cleared illegally.

Unfortunately, as international outcry over deforestation of the Amazon rainforest has drawn many zero-deforestation commitments from companies, these businesses simply began looking elsewhere. While destruction of the Amazon has slowed, deforestation fires have been springing up in the Cerrado and Pantanal wetlands. The Cerrado is now disappearing four times faster than the Amazon. As the raging fires in the Cerrado reached record highs this summer, it's essential that these companies be held accountable for their destructive actions.

If you look at the ingredients of many common household products and processed foods, you’re likely to find palm oil on the list. In fact, according to the World Wildlife Fund , it’s in close to 50% of the packaged products that you’d find at the grocery store, from frozen meals to cosmetics. Derived from the fruit of the palm tree, companies add colorless, odorless palm oil to their products in order to lengthen their products’ shelf life.

Although companies use palm oil because of its relatively low cost, the growth and harvest of palm oil comes at a high price for the world’s tropical rainforests and the animals who call them home. Palm oil plantations cover 27 million hectares of the Earth’s surface . These plantations destroy lush forests and replace them with “green deserts”: areas with no biodiversity whatsoever. This takes away the habitats of several endangered species, such as the orangutan, the pygmy elephant, and the Sumatran rhino, pushing them even closer to extinction.

While there are some efforts to harvest palm oil more sustainably, causing less harm to endangered species and their habitats, we can make the biggest difference by avoiding products with palm oil entirely. The Rainforest Action Network offers several resources for avoiding products and businesses that contribute to palm oil-driven deforestation.

Forest fires

Wildfires occur naturally in untouched forested land. While seemingly destructive, natural blazes actually promote the health of the ecosystem by clearing out dead organic matter and making room for new growth. However, when humans start forest fires, forest ecosystems can suffer from irreversible damage.

While some human-caused forest fires are accidental, farmers and other land developers sometimes intentionally start fires as a way to clear forested land. In a practice known as ‘slash and burn’ agriculture, farmers slash down acres of forest and burn the remnants in hopes of reviving the health of the soil. However, these uncontrolled fires can do more harm than good. Fires can eliminate entire populations of plant and animal species in an area, throwing off ecological balance and decreasing biodiversity. Research has shown that the biodiversity loss resulting from slash-and-burn agriculture can actually have the opposite effect on soil health, resulting in decreased crop yields and profits.

Agriculture-driven fires have taken a large toll on Brazil’s Amazon rainforest. A record number of fires turned the once vibrant, lush forests of the Amazon to ash in 2019. Investigators found that fires were three times more likely in beef-producing zones in the Amazon, pointing to the clearing of land for cattle ranching as one of the main culprits of forest fires.

Forest fires in the Amazon devastate animals and humans alike. Breathing the smoke from these fires is already harmful, but Indigineous communities suffered even further during this year’s fire season. The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacts the Indigenous peoples, as their immune systems may be less equipped to fight off the virus. In Brazil, the combined threats of COVID-19 and air pollution from wildfires has led to increased hospitalization rates for their populations.

Illegal logging

Around the world, logging companies harvest timber and wood from fallen trees. In some regions, national or international laws protect forested areas from logging operations. However, companies continue to illegally harvest and sell timber from these protected areas.

Economists value the illegal logging industry at almost $150 billion, and 15–30% of all timber comes from illegal operations . In a shocking 2016 investigation, US trade representatives found that 90% of the timber imported to the US from Peru came from illegal logging operations. Timber trafficking continues to harm forests, as countries fail to enforce the laws meant to protect the Amazon and other forested lands.

Mining refers to the extraction of minerals and other natural materials from the earth. The mining industry is notorious for subjecting workers to extremely dangerous conditions, while also harming forests and the environment.

Just as ‘slash and burn’ methods clear forests for agricultural use, the mining industry slashes and burns forests to clear land for its operations. While mining causes deforestation at a much smaller scale than agriculture , it generates high amounts of air and water pollution that contaminate surrounding environments.

Paper is one of the most obvious culprits of deforestation—after all, paper is made from trees. In 2019, the US paper industry produced 78 million tons of paper and cardboard. Making one ton of paper requires 24 trees.

The problem with paper doesn’t end at the production process, however. A staggering 17.2 million tons of paper and cardboard ended up in landfills in 2018. As paper and other trash break down in landfills, they release methane—a harmful greenhouse gas that further contributes to climate change.

While it doesn’t totally mitigate the problem , recycling your paper and buying recycled paper certainly helps reduce the impact of paper on deforestation.

Urbanization

As people move from rural areas to urban areas, cities grow and populations increase in a phenomenon known as “urbanization.” When people live in cities, their incomes and consumption habits tend to rise, putting even more pressure on forests .

In order to build structures for a growing population, urban developers turn to the logging and mining industries for wood and metals—encouraging these industries to cut down more forests for their operations. And, when people move from villages to cities, they consume more animal products and processed foods. Large-scale industrial farmers convert surrounding forests for farmland in order to meet the new demand. Overall, the rapid, increased consumption and development associated with urban growth can spell disaster for forested ecosystems.

Desertification of land

Desertification occurs when land with fertile soil becomes an infertile desert. Desertification can happen in response to natural phenomena, such as drought, but human activity can also play a role in accelerating the process. This happens when farmers over-cultivate land—excessively farming one tract of land to the point where the soil degrades completely.

Trees maintain nutrient-rich topsoil by protecting it from wind, rain, or other harsh weather. Therefore, the removal of trees through deforestation drives desertification. And, in a vicious cycle, desertification actually contributes to deforestation. When land is no longer fertile for natural vegetation, industries further encroach onto once-fertile areas and exploit them.

What are the effects of deforestation?

Forests don’t just provide home to millions of wild animal and plant species—their ability to capture greenhouse gas emissions makes the earth livable for us all. When humans harm forests for short-term economic gains, we harm our species’ chances for survival in the long-term.

Effects of deforestation on humans

People who live near forests suffer the most immediate impacts of deforestation. These marginalized and vulnerable communities depend on forests for their livelihoods, as forested land provides resources like fertile soil for food and clean, fresh water for drinking.

When humans destroy their forest habitats, animals and insects seek shelter in the populous villages surrounding forests. Animal migration into human territory leads to an unprecedented amount of contact between humans and wildlife that’s not only unnatural but dangerous. This is because animals can spread pathogens to humans. These pathogens cause illnesses known as zoonotic diseases . "Zoonotic Diseases: Disease Transmitted from Animals to Humans"). A 2021 report from the Harvard School of Public Health cautioned that, in order to prevent the spread of zoonotic disease, we must change our agricultural practices and protect our forests.

Sadly, zoonotic diseases are already more prevalent in areas experiencing deforestation. Mosquitos spread malaria to humans, and mosquito populations flourish when biodiversity drops. A 2020 study found that “deforestation is associated with increased malaria prevalence, suggesting that in some cases forest conservation might belong in a portfolio of anti-malarial interventions.” A 2019 case study in Indonesian villages further solidified the connection between malaria and deforestation: researchers found that a 1% loss in forest cover increased the incidence of malaria by 10%.

Malaria is not the only zoonotic disease that arises from deforestation. A 2017 study linked outbreaks of ebola in Central and West Africa to the recent loss of forests, citing “more frequent contact between infected wild animals and humans” as a probable cause.

Though its origins are still unclear, scientists have hypothesized that the virus that causes COVID-19 , SARS-CoV2, jumped from animals to humans. Our immune systems can’t handle these new, emerging pathogens, leading to the rampant spread of infectious disease that can grow into a global pandemic. The FAO warns that “habitat loss due to forest area change and the expansions of human populations to forest areas” increases the risk of wildlife spreading disease to humans. If we want to avoid future pandemics caused by the spread of zoonotic disease, we must protect habitats from deforestation.

Food insecurity

Forests provide surrounding communities with clean drinking water, food, and jobs. Indigenous peoples harvest food and medicine directly from plant species in the forest, or cultivate crops in the fertile soil. When companies cut down forests, these communities lose resources to cultivate the food they need to survive, pushing them into food insecurity . Hundreds of millions of people rely on tropical forests for food, and the highest concentrations of food insecure populations live in regions with tropical forests.

Deforestation perpetuates another vicious cycle when it comes to food insecurity. Industrial agriculture companies convert forests into land for cattle grazing, palm oil, and soy production in order to feed growing populations of city-dwellers. This process destroys the biodiversity and fertility of the land, making it unsustainable for feeding populations in the long-term. As the FAO stated in a recent report, “forest degradation can be a threat to food security but also a product of efforts to obtain it—the costs of degradation need to be weighed against the value obtained.” In order to produce more food, the industrial agriculture industry is clearing forests—which, in turn, further exacerbates world hunger.

Local people and their livelihoods

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that nearly 25% of the global population relies on forests for their livelihoods , including many of the world’s poorest communities. The world’s Indigenous populations suffer some of the worst impacts of forest destruction, with deforestation displacing entire Indigenous communities.

In the Amazon regions of Brazil, deforestation is forcing thousands of Indigenous people off their own land. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro stripped protections for these communities entirely, allowing big industries to encroach even further on forested land. Bolsonaro also removed power from agencies meant to safeguard their rights, pushing Indigenous Brazilians to come together and fight the threat of deforestation on their own.

Effects of deforestation on the environment

Deforestation’s environmental impact extends far beyond the edges of the woods. When we remove forests, we lose out on the vital protection they provide against climate change, soil erosion, and natural disasters like flooding.

Soil erosion

The roots of trees stabilize soil and keep it in place. Removing trees loosens the soil and leaves it exposed to damaging rains and wind. Removing trees on a mass scale through deforestation significantly speeds up soil erosion.

Researchers examined the impacts of deforestation on loess , a soil layer of dust and silt that’s rich in minerals. They found that a combination of agriculture, cattle ranching, and demand for wood drove deforestation on the loess in northeastern Iran, increasing the loss of soil and nutrients.

Developing countries pay an especially harsh price for soil erosion, especially when they lose topsoil, the nutrient-rich layer of soil that is essential for growing crops. The Island of Java in Indonesia lost 770 metric tons of topsoil per year in the late 1980s as a direct result of deforestation. Farmers in the region lost out on an estimated 1.5 million tons of rice, which had the potential to fulfill the nutritional needs of almost 15 million people. These farmers, and the local populations they work to feed, experienced firsthand how detrimental deforestation can be to human life.

Climate change

Trees balance the world’s carbon dioxide (CO2) levels as the gas cycles through the atmosphere and into the oceans, soil, and other living organisms.

Cutting down trees releases their stored CO2 back into the atmosphere. And, when we don’t replant the fallen trees, we lose out on their continued removal of excess carbon from the atmosphere. This leads to the excess carbon emissions that contribute to the greenhouse effect and accelerate climate change.

Removing trees on a mass scale through deforestation takes away one of the most important buffers we have against climate change. If we put an end to deforestation, our annual greenhouse gas emissions would drop by 10%. This action could prove crucial in the fight against climate change, with climate scientists estimating we need to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% in the next decade to mitigate the crisis at hand.

Trees help to control flooding . Their roots hold soil firm in heavy rains, and the trees themselves absorb some of the rainwater. Their absence can cause disastrous floods.

In 2004, floods killed hundreds of people in Haiti. Reports from the aftermath of the disaster revealed that the removal of 98% of the Island nation’s forests caused the flooding—deeming the floods a “m an-made ecological disaster .” On the other side of the world, deforestation for illegal harvesting also intensified floods in Kashmir, claiming the lives of 18 people in 2015. Researchers are clear that “(w)hen the trees are removed from the environment, the rainy season can have devastating effects.”

Effects of deforestation on biodiversity

Forests are home to thousands of unique flora and fauna that can’t be found in any other ecosystem. Because they house such a diverse variety of life, the destruction of forests can have a devastating impact on the earth’s biodiversity.

Habitat loss

The earth has lost an estimated 80 million hectares of forest since 1990, as industries clear forested land for farming, grazing, mining, drilling, and urbanization. This number doesn’t just represent fallen trees—it represents the decimation of millions of animals’ habitats.

In fact, habitat loss is among the greatest dangers to plant and animal species worldwide, and agriculture is “ the major cause .” When animals lose their habitats, they lose the shelter they need for continued survival. Researchers have observed the decline of entire species’ populations in response to deforestation-driven habitat loss.

Wildlife extinction

Rainforests are home to an estimated 50% of life on land. The FAO reports that forests offer habitat to 80% of the world’s amphibious species, 75% of bird species, and 68% of mammal species.

The habitat loss associated with deforestation doesn’t kill animals directly—instead, their populations die out slowly as “their breeding rates fall and competition for food becomes even more intense.” The habitat destruction caused by deforestation drives 135 plant, animal, and insect species to extinction every day. That’s 50,000 species per year, lost forever.

Acidic oceans

Ocean acidification occurs when the ocean absorbs CO2, lowering the water’s pH level and making it more acidic. Deforestation, along with other human activities such as industrial agriculture and the burning of fossil fuels, accelerates this problem.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric administration , the ocean absorbs around 30% of all atmospheric CO2. As levels of atmospheric CO2 rise, so do levels in the ocean, resulting in further ocean acidification.

Just like the oceans, forests act as a carbon sink, with trees absorbing and storing atmospheric carbon. Deforestation forces our oceans to take on more of the strain of excess greenhouse gases.

Ocean acidification harms ocean biodiversity and ecosystems. When water becomes more acidic, it can actually dissolve the shells and skeletons of organisms like oysters, clams, sea urchins, shallow water corals, deep sea corals, and calcareous plankton. The negative effects of this reverberate through the entire ecosystem, as bigger fish rely on these calcified organisms for food. If deforestation and other human activities continue to drive ocean acidification, the chemistry of the entire ocean may be altered forever.

What animals are affected by deforestation?

Deforestation pushes entire species from their homes, driving them to the brink of extinction. One of the most heartbreaking examples of this is the plight of the orangutan. Orangutans only live on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo, where palm oil production has leveled entire forests. Orangutans suffered a population decline of 25% in a single decade, largely due to deforestation of their homes.

In fact, deforestation impacts all great apes. Between human-caused threats like hunting and deforestation, species like chimpanzees and gorillas also face a “ very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future, probably within our own lifetime .”

Sadly, so many more iconic and beloved species are suffering the effects of deforestation. The world’s largest eagle species, the harpy eagle, relies on forest cover to locate their prey. Without forests, several harpy eagles have died of starvation . Research also links deforestation to the loss of pandas , monarch butterflies , and jaguars .

How can we stop deforestation?

Researchers warn that, if deforestation continues at current levels, the planet will face an extinction crisis that will “ jeopardize the health and wellbeing of future generations .” In order to avoid irreversible damage from habitat loss and climate change, we need to both halt the loss of forests and promote their restoration. Taking these meaningful steps to restore our forests could contribute to more than one-third of the emissions cuts we need to take to limit global warming to 2 degrees celsius by 2030—the climate change mitigation objective set by the Paris Agreement .

Alongside halting deforestation and starting forest restoration initiatives , government leaders must act to protect remaining forests’ ecosystems, the species that live within them, and the communities that depend on them for survival. Scientists recommend protecting and maintaining at least 50% of land and oceans as intact natural ecosystems to “save the diversity and abundance of life on Earth.”

One of the key actions governments can take to protect and maintain forest ecosystems is restoring land rights to Indigenous peoples, which prevents private interests from clearing the land. A study found that, in Brazil, deforestation rates decreased by two-thirds in areas where Indigenous people fully owned their lands.

While some private companies have committed to ending deforestation in their supply chains, deforestation continues to accelerate. Evidence has shown that we cannot put our trust in private companies to stop plundering Earth’s forests for their own financial gain. We need governments to step up and enforce crucial forest protection and restoration initiatives if we want to put a stop to deforestation.

What has been done so far?

Local, rural communities are already acting to protect the forested land that they depend on for their survival, and governments are enacting more policies to protect forests. As a result, we are making some progress to reduce the harmful effects of deforestation worldwide.

In 2020, seven countries reported decreased deforestation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Some countries accomplished this by strengthening the enforcement of logging regulations and requiring proof that timber imports were harvested legally. We could also see more governments introduce meaningful forest conservation policies, as 50 countries pledged to protect 30% of the planet by the year 2030 at this year’s One Planet Summit .

While these steps are encouraging, we need to do more, especially when it comes to industrial agriculture and farming interests. The FAO suggests that governments, for example, should create “buffer zones” around protected areas, where no cattle ranching is allowed . And, as individuals, we all have the power to change our broken food system and promote an end to deforestation.

The global demand for meat drives deforestation, especially in the Amazon region. When we eat less meat, or cut meat consumption entirely, the meat industry has less incentive to destroy forests to meet the global demand for its products. In fact, the United Nations climate change report “describes plant-based diets as a major opportunity for mitigating and adapting to climate change,” and it recommends more policies aimed at reducing meat consumption.

What you can do

Widespread deforestation doesn’t just harm forests and the animals that live in them: it harms our entire planet. Thankfully, you can help limit the damage. When you shift your diet away from meat and dairy, you take away financial support from the industrial animal agriculture operations that clear forested land for their own interests—a crucial step towards protecting these habitats. Take action today by starting your plant-based journey .

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Essay on Deforestation for Students and Children

500+ words essay on deforestation.

Deforestation is the cutting down of trees in the forest in a large number. Deforestation has always been a threat to our environment. But still many humans are continuing this ill practice. Moreover, Deforestation is causing ecological imbalance. Yet, some selfish people have to fill their pockets. Therefore they do not even think about it once. So, the government is trying countermeasures to avert the harm to the environment .

The main purpose of deforestation is to increase the land area. Also, this land area is to set up new industries. And, this all is because of the increase in population. As the population increases the demand for products also increase. So rich businessmen set up these industries to increase profit.

Harmful Effects of Deforestation

There are many harmful effects of deforestation. Some of them are below: Soil erosion: Soil erosion is the elimination of the upper layer of the soil. It takes place when there is removing of trees that bind the soil. As a result wind and water carries away the top layer of the soil.

Moreover, disasters like landslides take place because of this. Furthermore, soil erosion is responsible for various floods. As trees are not present to stop the waters from heavy rainfall’s gush directly to the plains. This results in damaging of colonies where people are living.

Global Warming: Global warming is the main cause of the change in our environment. These seasons are now getting delayed. Moreover, there is an imbalance in their ratios. The temperatures are reaching its extreme points. This year it was 50 degrees in the plains, which is most of all. Furthermore, the glaciers in the Himalayan ranges are melting.

As a result, floods are affecting the hilly regions of our country and the people living there. Moreover, the ratio of water suitable for drinking is also decreasing.

Impact on the water cycle: Since through transpiration, trees release soil water into the environment. Thus cutting of them is decreasing the rate of water in the atmosphere. So clouds are not getting formed. As a result, the agricultural grounds are not receiving proper rainfall. Therefore it is indirectly affecting humans only.

A great threat to wildlife: Deforestation is affecting wildlife as well. Many animals like Dodo, Sabre-toothed Cat, Tasmanian Tiger are already extinct. Furthermore, some animals are on the verge of extinction. That’s because they have lost habitat or their place of living. This is one of the major issues for wildlife protectors.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to Avert Deforestation?

Deforestation can be averted by various countermeasures. First of all, we should afforestation which is growing of trees in the forest. This would help to resolve the loss of the trees cut down. Moreover, the use of plant-based products should increase.

This would force different industries to grow more trees. As a result, the environment will also get benefit from it. Furthermore, people should grow small plants in their houses. That will help the environment to regain its ability. At last, the government should take strict actions against people. Especially those who are illegally cutting down trees.

FAQs on Essay on Deforestation

Q1. Why is deforestation harmful to our environment?

A1. Deforestation is harmful to our environment because it is creating different problems. These problems are soil erosion, global warming. Moreover, it is also causing different disasters like floods and landslides.

Q2. How are animals affected by deforestation?

A2. Deforestation affects animals as they have lost their habitat. Moreover, herbivores animals get their food from plants and trees. As a result, they are not getting proper food to eat, which in turn is resulting in their extinction

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ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Deforestation.

Deforestation is the intentional clearing of forested land.

Biology, Ecology, Conservation

Trees are cut down for timber, waiting to be transported and sold.

Photograph by Esemelwe

Deforestation is the purposeful clearing of forested land. Throughout history and into modern times, forests have been razed to make space for agriculture and animal grazing, and to obtain wood for fuel, manufacturing, and construction.

Deforestation has greatly altered landscapes around the world. About 2,000 years ago, 80 percent of Western Europe was forested; today the figure is 34 percent. In North America, about half of the forests in the eastern part of the continent were cut down from the 1600s to the 1870s for timber and agriculture. China has lost great expanses of its forests over the past 4,000 years and now just over 20 percent of it is forested. Much of Earth’s farmland was once forests.

Today, the greatest amount of deforestation is occurring in tropical rainforests, aided by extensive road construction into regions that were once almost inaccessible. Building or upgrading roads into forests makes them more accessible for exploitation. Slash-and-burn agriculture is a big contributor to deforestation in the tropics. With this agricultural method, farmers burn large swaths of forest, allowing the ash to fertilize the land for crops. The land is only fertile for a few years, however, after which the farmers move on to repeat the process elsewhere. Tropical forests are also cleared to make way for logging, cattle ranching, and oil palm and rubber tree plantations.

Deforestation can result in more carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. That is because trees take in carbon dioxide from the air for photosynthesis , and carbon is locked chemically in their wood. When trees are burned, this carbon returns to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide . With fewer trees around to take in the carbon dioxide , this greenhouse gas accumulates in the atmosphere and accelerates global warming.

Deforestation also threatens the world’s biodiversity . Tropical forests are home to great numbers of animal and plant species. When forests are logged or burned, it can drive many of those species into extinction. Some scientists say we are already in the midst of a mass-extinction episode.

More immediately, the loss of trees from a forest can leave soil more prone to erosion . This causes the remaining plants to become more vulnerable to fire as the forest shifts from being a closed, moist environment to an open, dry one.

While deforestation can be permanent, this is not always the case. In North America, for example, forests in many areas are returning thanks to conservation efforts.

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Deforestation Essay

The deliberate clearance of forested terrain is known as deforestation. Forests have been cleared throughout history and into the present era to make room for agriculture and animal grazing as well as to obtain wood for fuel, manufacture, and construction. Our best opportunity to protect the rights of forest communities and preserve wildlife is to stop this destruction. Here are a few sample essays on the topic ‘Deforestation’.

100 Words Essay On Deforestation

200 words essay on deforestation, 500 words essay on deforestation.

Deforestation is the conversion of a forested area to land that is not forested. Deforestation can refer to natural or man-made causes. When speaking about natural causes, it typically refers to the result of a wildfire. On the other hand, man-made causes of deforestation are almost always the result of logging, both legal and illegal. Since ancient times, forests have played a significant role in human history. They are used for a variety of daily tasks, including producing paper, building ships, housing, and heating fuel. For us and our future generations to enjoy and live a healthy, tranquil existence in a clean environment free of pollution, forests are considered essential.

Deforestation is the large-scale clearance of forests through plant logging or forest fires to satisfy individual requirements. Deforestation can refer to the natural loss of trees, as well as the potential destruction of forests due to the practices of people. The management of the environment's natural equilibrium and the welfare of the entire human race depend greatly on forests. But despite knowing the negative repercussions on society and the environment, people constantly cut down trees. The most common cause of deforestation is the conversion of forested land to agricultural land or other uses.

Agricultural expansion is a major driver of deforestation in many developing countries. In Latin America, for example, small farmers clear forests to create new pastureland or cropland to support their families and communities. In some cases, large-scale commercial agriculture operations drive deforestation. For example, cattle ranching and soybean production are responsible for much of the Amazon rainforest deforestation. Other causes of deforestation include illegal logging, forest fires, and the building of roads and other infrastructure projects in or near forests. The consequences of deforestation are far-reaching and affect both people and the environment. Deforestation can lead to soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and climate change. It also negatively impacts the livelihoods of people who depend on forests for their food, shelter, and income.

Deforestation is the process of converting a forested area to unforested land. Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses. The most common cause of deforestation is conversion of forest land to farms, ranching and urbanization. Other causes include mining, logging and the burning of forests to clear land for palm oil plantations. The effects of deforestation are vast and devastating. It contributes to global warming, as trees play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Deforestation also increases soil erosion, destroys habitats and decreases biodiversity. Additionally, it can lead to flash flooding and mudslides.

Causes of Deforestation

Clearing For Agriculture | Forested land is cleared for crops or pasture. This is the primary cause of deforestation in many countries, including Indonesia, India, and Brazil.

Cutting Trees For Timber | Trees are cut down for lumber and wood products. This is a major cause of deforestation in most of the countries.

Building Roads And Other Infrastructure | Roads and other forms of development require the clear-cutting of trees and other vegetation. This can lead to deforestation in areas where this development takes place.

Forest Fire | Both natural and human-caused fires can contribute to deforestation. In some cases, forested areas are purposefully set on fire in order to clear the land for other uses.

Effects Of Deforestation

Loss Of Habitat | Deforestation can lead to the loss of habitat for animals, as well as plants. This can threaten species with extinction and disrupt ecosystems. Climate Change | Deforestation can contribute to climate change by releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Additionally, trees play an important role in regulating the climate, so the loss of trees can further contribute to climate change.

Soil Erosion | Without trees to help anchor the soil, deforestation can lead to soil erosion. This can cause problems with flooding and make it difficult to grow crops or grasses in the affected areas.

How To Prevent Deforestation | There are many ways to prevent deforestation.

One way is to support responsible forestry practices that ensure trees are sustainably harvested. Another way is to reduce your consumption of products that contribute to deforestation, such as palm oil. You can also support organisations working to protect forests. By making wise decisions every day, you can contribute to the effort to safeguard forests. We can all contribute to the campaign to safeguard forests by using less, eliminating single-use packaging, eating sustainably, and choosing goods made of recycled or ethically harvested wood.

Deforestation is caused by a variety of factors, including logging, agriculture, and mining. The effects of deforestation are far-reaching and devastating, impacting both the environment and the people who live in it. Deforestation can lead to soil erosion, decreased water quality, loss of biodiversity, and climate change. It also contributes to poverty and social conflict. To prevent deforestation, we must work to protect forests and promote sustainable land use practices. Governments must play a role if we are to reduce deforestation. To live in a future free from severe climate disruption, we need world leaders to support ambitious national and international forest conservation policies based on the most recent scientific research.

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Deforestation and Its Extreme Effect on Global Warming

From logging, agricultural production and other economic activities, deforestation adds more atmospheric CO2 than the sum total of cars and trucks on the world's roads

Land cleared of forest by timber industry.

Nazar Abbas Getty Images

Dear EarthTalk : Is it true that cutting and burning trees adds more global warming pollution to the atmosphere than all the cars and trucks in the world combined? — Mitchell Vale, Houston

By most accounts, deforestation in tropical rainforests adds more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than the sum total of cars and trucks on the world’s roads. According to the World Carfree Network (WCN), cars and trucks account for about 14 percent of global carbon emissions, while most analysts attribute upwards of 15 percent to deforestation.

The reason that logging is so bad for the climate is that when trees are felled they release the carbon they are storing into the atmosphere, where it mingles with greenhouse gases from other sources and contributes to global warming accordingly. The upshot is that we should be doing as much to prevent deforestation as we are to increase fuel efficiency and reduce automobile usage.

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If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing . By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

According to the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), a leading green group, 32 million acres of tropical rainforest were cut down each year between 2000 and 2009—and the pace of deforestation is only increasing. “Unless we change the present system that rewards forest destruction, forest clearing will put another 200 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere in coming decades…,” says EDF.

“Any realistic plan to reduce global warming pollution sufficiently—and in time—to avoid dangerous consequences must rely in part on preserving tropical forests,” reports EDF. But it’s hard to convince the poor residents of the Amazon basin and other tropical regions of the world to stop cutting down trees when the forests are still worth more dead than alive. “Conservation costs money, while profits from timber, charcoal, pasture and cropland drive people to cut down forests,” adds EDF. Exacerbating global warming isn’t the only negative impact of tropical deforestation. It also wipes out biodiversity: More than half of the world’s plant and animal species live in tropical rainforests.

One way some tropical countries are reducing deforestation is through participation in the United Nations’ Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) program. REDD essentially works to establish incentives for the people who care for the forest to manage it sustainably while still being able to benefit economically. Examples include using less land (and therefore cutting fewer trees) for activities such as coffee growing and meat and milk production. Participating nations can then accrue and sell carbon pollution credits when they can prove they have lowered deforestation below a baseline. The REDD program has channeled over $117 million in direct financial aid and educational support into national deforestation reduction efforts in 44 developing countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America since its 2008 inception.

Brazil is among the countries embracing REDD among other efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Thanks to the program, Brazil has slowed deforestation within its borders by 40 percent since 2008 and is on track to achieve an 80 percent reduction by 2020. Environmentalists are optimistic that the initial success of REDD in Brazil bodes well for reducing deforestation in other parts of the tropics as well.

CONTACTS : WCN, www.worldcarfree.net; EDF, www.edf.org; REDD, www.un-redd.org .

EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: [email protected] . Subscribe : www.emagazine.com/subscribe . Free Trial Issue : www.emagazine.com/trial .

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Essay on Deforestation

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Introduction:

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.

Conclusion:

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.

3. Fuel Wood:

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.

9. Landslide:

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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What Are the Causes and Effects of Deforestation?

Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, especially clearing land for cattle and soy to feed farmed animals.

Explainer • Climate • Industry

Words by Claire Hamlett

Forests are a critical global resource, covering around 30 percent of the planet or 4.06 billion hectares. Increasing rates of deforestation threaten this important resource but also much more — as forests are deeply intertwined with the impacts of climate change, biodiversity and the livelihoods of people who depend on these precious and powerful ecosystems.

What Is Deforestation?

Deforestation is the practice of intentionally cutting down trees to clear land for other uses. In the past 10,000 years, the world has lost 2 billion hectares — or one-third — of its forested land, and half of that has occurred since 1900. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that an average of 10 million hectares of forest are cut down each year, but some years are much worse than others. 2016 remains the worst year on record for deforestation at 29.7 million hectares , partly due to significant forest fires.

What Are the Effects of Deforestation?

The impacts of deforestation are felt throughout the environment and the natural cycles that regulate life on Earth, as well as in human communities and the animals that depend on forests for habitat.

What Are the Negative Effects of Deforestation on the Environment?

Soil erosion and desertification.

Trees and natural vegetation help to hold soil in place. When they are removed, the nutrient-rich topsoil erodes, and is easily washed away in heavy rains or blown away by wind. Rough, sandy particles that can’t retain water are left behind, making the land unsuitable for growing crops as it eventually turns into a desert. As forests also regulate the water cycle, clearing them leads to drier local climates, further adding to the risk of desertification.

Climate Change

Forests store huge amounts of carbon, which can be released into the atmosphere when they are cut down. Deforestation accounts for around 10 percent of anthropogenic carbon emissions. Tropical forests are under such severe assault that they have tipped from being a net sink to a net source for carbon emissions, now emitting more than they can store.

A landmark study published in Global Change Biology in 2007 found evidence from around the globe that deforestation increases the frequency of flooding events as well as making the impacts more severe — increasing the length of floods, the number of people displaced and killed and the physical damage caused. Various further studies have also revealed the different ways that deforestation increases floods. For example, a 2012 study published in Water Resources Research on deforestation in Canada found that felling large areas of forest in snowy regions can double or even quadruple the number of large floods around the streams and rivers that pass through those forests by exposing snow to sunlight and making it melt faster. A 2022 study published by PNAS found that coastal cities in West Africa are experiencing more frequent thunderstorms and flash flooding due to deforestation, which alters the local climate.

How Does Deforestation Affect Us?

Deforestation negatively impacts public health in several ways. Fragmentation of wildlife habitat through forest clearing has increased the spillover of novel pathogens from wildlife to people. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the loss of forest also risks the loss of potential future medicinal resources. By contributing to and exacerbating the impacts of climate change, such as floods, deforestation increases the risk of death, particularly for people in parts of the world that are more vulnerable to extreme weather. When we lose forests, we also lose a source of more direct health benefits such as improved mental and physical well-being and cleaner air .

Food Insecurity

Forests provide food for millions of people and fuelwood for cooking for 2.4 billion, particularly in developing countries. By maintaining soil quality, regulating climate and providing habitats and food for a diverse range of species, forests are a critical component of food production beyond their bounds as well. All of these benefits are threatened by deforestation, which also adds to the pressure on global food supplies due to climate change.

Local People and Their Livelihoods

Communities who live in and near forests are deeply impacted by deforestation. According to the World Bank , rural households living near forests can derive as much as 22 percent of their income from forest resources including timber, food, fuel, fodder, construction materials and medicine. As these resources become more scarce due to tree clearing, communities from Cameroon to India are struggling to make ends meet. Deforestation can also lead to migration, social disruption and conflict .

Effects of Deforestation on Biodiversity

Habitat loss.

Forests are some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth, providing homes to trees, plants, animals, insects, microorganisms and carbon-sequestering fungi . Deforestation fragments and degrades this habitat, reducing or destroying its capacity to support other species.

Wildlife Extinction

When their habitat is destroyed, many forest-dwelling species struggle to survive in the pockets of forest that are left. Smaller areas of habitat can only support smaller populations of a species, reducing their gene pool and leaving them more vulnerable to hunting, poaching and predators. As some species are unique to specific forest regions, they can easily become extinct when their habitat is destroyed.

Acidic Oceans

When carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dissolves into the oceans, it lowers the pH of the water and causes acidification. Because forests are such important carbon sinks, another result of deforestation is that more carbon dioxide ends up in the oceans as less is absorbed by trees.

What Animals Are Affected By Deforestation?

Deforestation and unsustainable logging threaten more than 4,000 species . Forest-dependent animals that have gone extinct just this century include the Formosan clouded leopard of Taiwan, the cryptic treehunter bird of Brazil and the Mount Glorious torrent frog of Australia.

What Are the Causes of Deforestation?

Animal agriculture.

Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation. A massive 41 percent of tropical deforestation — 2.1 million hectares a year — is directly linked to the expansion of pasture for grazing beef cattle, mostly in Brazil. In addition, nearly 500,000 hectares of forest is cleared every year to grow soy, the majority of which — around 77 percent — ends up as livestock feed.

Forest Fires

Fires are a naturally occurring event in some forest ecosystems and controlled fires have also been used sustainably by Indigenous communities for centuries to clear small pockets of land for agriculture. But forest fires are becoming more frequent and ferocious, breaking out in new regions as humid forests dry out . The remaining fragmented forests are more prone to fires as climate change is making conditions drier and hotter, which in turn makes it easier for fires to start and grow out of control.

In 2021, Russia had its worst fire season on record (monitoring began properly in 2001), with 18.13 million hectares of forest destroyed. The Amazon rainforest had a particularly bad year of fires in 2019 , with over 9,000 fires raging at one point. Last month, 17,000 hectares of pine forest burned to the ground in France.

Illegal Logging

There is a multi-billion dollar industry based on illegally harvested timber and related products such as paper and packaging. Some illegal logging also occurs to replace natural forest with monoculture plantations.

Around 44 percent of large-scale mining operations are located in forests, and experts have warned that granting new mining licenses in currently protected areas of the Amazon, as Brazil’s president wants to do, will result in thousands of square kilometers of new deforestation. Illegal mining, mainly for gold, drove the destruction of more than 40,000 hectares of forest in Tambopata National Reserve in Peru from 2001 to 2014.

Overpopulation

The human population already stands on the cusp of 8 billion and is projected to peak at 10.88 billion at the turn of the next century. If current unsustainable uses of land continue apace, including clearing forests for agriculture and exploitation of other resources, the growth in population will exert further pressure on forest ecosystems.

Around 66 million tons of palm oil is produced every year for use in household products, food, animal feed and as fuel for power and vehicles. The amount of land used to grow oil palm has grown from 4 million hectares in 1980 to 19 million in 2018. Along with soy, the expansion of oil palm plantations is the second biggest cause of deforestation globally after animal agriculture — though it accounts for less than half the amount of deforestation caused by cattle ranching. Nonetheless, it has been a disaster for forest wildlife, threatening nearly 200 species on the IUCN’s red list , including tigers and orangutans.

Around 405 million tonnes of paper and paperboard are produced annually, accounting for roughly 13 to 15 percent of total wood consumption — and demand for these products is increasing. Forests are being cleared in biodiversity hotspots to grow pulp plantations. Several forest regions, including the old-growth boreal forests of Canada, are also being clear-cut to produce pulp for making toilet paper and other tissue products.

Urbanization

It was once hoped that urbanization, the process by which a population moves to urban areas, would decrease pressure on forests by slowing down the clearing of land for agriculture. But instead, the key drivers of deforestation have shifted too, with more populous urban areas driving up demand for products like beef, as found in a study published in 2010 in Nature Geoscience and a more recent study published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research International in 2020 .

Where Is Deforestation Happening?

Deforestation in south america.

Brazil has by far the worst rate of deforestation in the world, with a net loss of 1.45 million hectares of forest per year. But all of South America, bar a handful of countries including Chile and Costa Rica, are losing more forest than they are gaining. Around 17 percent of the Amazon, the majority of which is in Brazil, had been cleared by 2018 — the same year Jair Bolsanaro was elected President, since when he has been loosening environmental protections for the rainforest and encouraging its development. The second largest forest in South America is the Cerrado, which covers more than 20 percent of Brazil but is often overlooked. It has suffered twice as much deforestation as the Amazon since 2008, mainly due to the expansion of animal agriculture.

Deforestation in Southeast Asia

Indonesia is another deforestation hotspot , with rates comparable to South America. Palm oil and logging are the main causes of deforestation in Indonesia as well as Malaysia. More than half of the natural forest cover of Southeast Asia has been lost — a catastrophe for the region’s wildlife.

Deforestation in Africa

Deforestation rates vary greatly between African countries. Agricultural expansion is a major driver, with cocoa playing a significant role, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon. Producing nearly 3 million tons of cocoa every year requires huge amounts of land. Protected areas and their wildlife have been ravaged by cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire, and 10 percent of Ghana’s forests were cleared for cocoa production between 2001 and 2014 . Logging for timber and demand for charcoal as a cooking fuel are also big drivers of deforestation in different parts of the continent.

How Can We Stop Deforestation?

Consuming less and more consciously.

There are several actions people can take as individuals to prevent further deforestation, including buying less and making more conscious choices about what to buy. For example, you could look for second hand wood products like furniture and recycled tissue and paper products, or reduce consumption of products containing palm oil.

Eating Less Meat

As animal agriculture is the biggest driver of deforestation, cutting down on or avoiding meat is another key action individuals can take. Even if the meat itself has not been imported from a country experiencing deforestation, feed for farmed animals including dairy cows, pigs and chickens is often sourced from deforested areas. A 2021 study published in Nature found that replacing half of global meat consumption with fungi-derived protein could prevent 82 percent of future deforestation.

Government Regulations

Governments must do more to end deforestation. At the 2021 UN Climate Summit, COP26, more than 100 world leaders committed to halt and reverse deforestation and land degradation by 2030, offering up billions in funding to that end. But a similar pledge in 2014, the New York Declaration on Forests, was a failure .

Still, because corporate deforestation commitments are insufficient on their own, government regulations remain essential. For example, the European Union, as the second biggest importer of agricultural products resulting from deforestation, has proposed mandatory due diligence requirements on companies to improve reporting and transparency in their supply chains. Both producer and consumer countries of products linked to deforestation need to improve forest governance such as better auditing, licensing and certification programs.

Spread Awareness About Deforestation

Research show the simple act of talking about climate change is one of the most effective forms of climate action. This could include discussing the larger role forests play in planetary health or highlighting products that are most likely to have come from deforested areas.

Leave Fossil Fuels and Palm Oil Behind

Burning fossil fuels is the biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, generating more than forests can absorb. As long as humanity keeps burning fossil fuels, climate change will keep negatively impacting forests and contribute to forest loss through worsening wildfires. But what we replace fossil fuels with matters to deforestation too. Palm oil is already being used as a replacement, but its environmental and climate costs are significant . Reducing the need for fossil and biofuels through, for example, improved transportation infrastructure, and replacing the remainder with cleaner sources of energy and fuel is crucial.

Reforestation and Afforestation

Reforestation involves the restoration of an area that was recently deforested, while afforestation means establishing forests where there were none or have been none for a long time. Allowing forests to naturally regenerate is gaining recognition as a cost-effective reforestation strategy. Reforestation is occurring in countries from Russia to China — but the key challenge is whether these efforts can outpace the rate at which trees are lost. There are notable afforestation efforts underway around the world, including China, which has increased its forest cover by 22 percent since the late 1970s.

Further Action

In addition to reducing your own consumption of deforestation-linked products, you can support or campaign for policies that aim to reduce such consumption at a larger scale. Another key form of action — support Indigenous communities who are defending forests from being cleared by corporations by donating to relevant nonprofits or to legal defense funds for Indigenous activists.

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Essay on Deforestation

Deforestation is cutting down a large number of trees and clearing out forest areas. The various reasons behind these human activities are increasing the space for human usage like logging or wood extraction, agricultural expansion, infrastructure expansion etc. Deforestation is harmful to the environment because it causes a lot of carbon emissions and alters the natural ecosystem. It also contributes to global warming and climate change because plants release the stored carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide when they are cutting down. The deforestation essay urges us to learn the causes, effects and preventive measures of deforestation.

Deforestation is a severe problem, and we must stop cutting down precious trees. Trees are destroyed to make way for urban development and the cultivation of crops. To expand the land area and construct buildings, production houses and manufacturing plants, we are cutting down trees, and the government is trying its best to avoid deforestation. The process of deforestation also increases the atmospheric level of carbon dioxide that contributes to climate change on the planet. Once the kids have understood the causes and effects of this issue, you can engage them in writing an essay on deforestation by referring to BYJU’S deforestation essay pdf.

Causes of deforestation, effects of deforestation, preventive measures to avoid deforestation.

Deforestation is a global phenomenon, and one of the leading causes of deforestation is the expansion of cities. People want to live in cities, but they often don’t realise how dangerous this can be to the environment and contributes to environmental pollution . Let us learn the causes that have led to deforestation and destroying the planet by reading the deforestation essay in English.

Other causes of deforestation are urbanisation, farming and a massive population explosion at a global level. As the population increases at a tremendous rate, the space for people to live is shrinking. Hence, people destroy forests to create living space, roads and excellent infrastructure.

As our wants and greed have increased, it has destroyed the environment. Mining is one of the main causes of deforestation and is destroying mother Earth . Another cause of deforestation is wood harvesting or logging for domestic fuel (charcoal).

As we have learned about the causes of deforestation, let us move on to the next segment – the effects of deforestation by reading the deforestation effects essay.

Deforestation has had many adverse effects on the planet. Significant effects of deforestation are climate change, soil erosion, global warming , wildlife extinction and underground water depletion. Besides, there are other consequences such as flooding, shrinking wildlife habitats, and reduced water quality. The essay on deforestation explains the negative effects of deforestation on the Earth.

The decrease in trees and vegetation can lead to an increase in the emission of greenhouse gases and other forms of pollution . Moreover, trees are essential and provide habitats for countless species, and they lose their habitats because of these human activities. They also store large amounts of carbon that can be used as a renewable energy source. When forests are destroyed, carbon is released into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change and global warming.

After learning about the adverse effects of deforestation by reading BYJU’S deforestation effects essay , let us move on to learn how to prevent deforestation.

To maintain the ecological balance, we need to take preventative measures to avoid deforestation. Deforestation can be eradicated by taking the necessary steps to save Earth . The government has to take strict action against deforestation and encourage people to plant more trees. This certainly helps in resolving the after-effects of the loss of trees. In addition, we can start growing plants at home and help our environment heal from the loss of trees and forests .

To conclude, deforestation is a major concern. Hence, we all must join hands in eradicating this issue and help our planet retain its ability to thrive. Provide the little ones with a deforestation essay pdf, and for more kids learning activities, visit BYJU’S website.

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The Impact of Logging and Deforestations on an Ecosystem Essay (Critical Writing)

Introduction, background and overview, reasons for deforestation, effects of deforestation.

The ability to understand and address the effects of deforestation and logging forms the basis towards sustainability of resources, greater social-economic development, political stability and ecological sanctity in the fast globalizing society. Deforestation is not a one state issue as it was previously thought.

In fact, it is a highly diverse aspect with far reaching implications to all environmental aspects. Lawrence et al (2012) point out that the current trend in deforestation around various countries across the world is shocking.

If this trend is not addressed, its cumulative effects would be irreversible and therefore greatly risk the existence of future generations. At this point, key questions that have frequently been asked have included the following: What entails deforestation?

How does deforestation affect a natural forest ecosystem? What are the main causes and resulting effects? What are some of the current efforts that have been put in place to address deforestation? Are these efforts efficient?

The current concerns on global deforestation have been examined in this paper as part of underscore its magnitude on a global scale and the litany of the disaster in the market. To indicate the road path that has resulted into the current precarious position and how it can be addressed, the national policy options have also been evaluated.

Finally, using the market to address the problem of deforestation and logging, the paper indicates the opportunities that can be assimilated to promote sound environmental practices that are equally sustainable while maximizing the returns to the people.

The ability to balance between economic development and natural resources capacity to sustainably maintain profitability forms the basis of the human race to match into the future with dignity and vitality.

Though the understanding of deforestation and logging as analysts concur is highly contested, the revelation of its related impacts has created a critical niche that demands involvement by all stakeholders.

Over the last few decades, the problem of global warming in conjunction with aspects such as deforestation have been cited as the most dangerous disasters in waiting on a global scale.

This has been the case due to its expansive deforestation and destruction of nature that makes even those not involved directly in its destruction to severely suffer the negative effects.

In their publication, Lawrence et al (2012) define deforestation as a permanent destruction of woodlands and forests. The definition points out at indigenous tree as well as vegetation cover which does not include plantations of pines and gums or industrial forests. The role that forest plays in the balancing of an ecosystem is very crucial.

Environmentalists indicate that besides being a source of materials human beings use every day, it serves as a habitat for endemic plants, birds and wild animals. The problem of deforestation has been massive in most regions in the world with recent reports from the World Bank showing a four fifth reduction of indigenous forest.

Other reports indicate that by 2011, half the total forest of the world had disappeared posing a threat to the majority of plant species and animals living in the tropical forests.

On the other hand, logging is part of deforestation whereby trees are cut, processed on-site and loaded into trucks. The latter is a silviculture activity with similar effects like deforestation.

While some would argue that the logistics behind logging is to remove wood from forest to a lumber yard outside a forest, it is imperative to note that the practice directly connects with deforestation. It is a theft of timber and violates the law.

Figure1: A figure showing the effect of logging

https://hornbillunleashed.wordpress.com/2009/08/28/3483/

The current fast deteriorating status of natural environment has greatly been caused by poor domestication, articulation, and harmonization of international laws by individual countries and states.

This has been prompted by lack of enough good will to address all issues relating to environment in a holistic outlook thereby compromising the overall resilience of the same natural resources.

Due to much bitterness, scholars have lamented about the reduced capacity to comprehend the inability of their non-inclusive sole conservation strategies which factors not the interconnectedness of the natural environment.

As a result, this has created a strong rift between the conservations and implementing bodies over who is to blame for the mayhem. Over the years, the desire to advance and grow both economically, socially, and culturally have been entirely dependent on nature.

Whereas various countries lag behind in implementation of different conservation laws in their jurisdictions, it is clear that the practice of deforestation and logging is committing the world into a more perilous state than it is currently.

Virtually all products and services are nature-derived. Even for the few that may claim non-derivative status, their transport and eventual spatial temporal application have great connotation of nature.

Studies indicate that deforestation is not a new phenomenon since it has been a difficult issue blamed on numerous factors. Lindsay and Thornton (2012) indicate that some one of the reasons behind deforestation is the growing need among agricultural dependent communities to convert forest and woodland areas into agricultural lands.

It is imperative to highlight that this has been a factor that has been motivated by the demand to feed the ever growing populations. Besides, many societies in tropical countries have over the years turned to cattle ranching and growing of cash crops to earn money and foreign exchange.

As a result, many large forest areas have been cleared and turned into farming zones for livestock breeding and cash crop farming.

Figure 2: A diagram showing deforestation

Additionally, deforestation occurs when businesses within an industry practice commercial logging. The latter has been a method widely used by industries that supply the world market with a variety of wood such as ebony, mahogany, teak, and meranti.

This practice has not only destroyed forests, but has opened up large tracts of land for agriculture. The felling of trees has not only stopped with businesses, but also the construction sector which relies on trees for building.

Global warming and climate change

Global warming is the increase in the average temperatures on the troposphere due to excessive emissions of green house gases into the atmosphere. Scientifically, green house gases allow easy penetration of short wavelength radiations from the outer space while obscuring escape of the long wave radiations from the earth surface.

As a result, there has been a direct build up of the surface temperatures in the earth thereby causing vast climate changes. As a concern by the natural laws, this change has been directly linked to massive destruction of natural ecosystems in the world.

Excessive thawing in the polar regions, rising levels of the sea, loss of forests, flooding, higher levels of tropical weather systems and most importantly desertification.

Scientifically, carbon dioxide is an important component in green plants’ photosynthetic process. However, Lindsay and Thornton (2012) point out that human beings have constantly been clearing forests for agricultural purposes, urban development, settlements and industrial development.

Besides, forests have also been cleared as raw materials for wood based industries. On average, Masood and Shah (2012) indicate that about 80,000 acres of forests are cleared every day globally. As a result, the critical role of sinking the atmospheric carbon has greatly been compromised and therefore resulting to greater accumulation of greenhouse gases.

High levels of poverty

While many human activities on forest have been aimed at improving living standards through agriculture, it goes without mentioning that the deforestation has instead increased global poverty levels that have plagued the society today.

In their publication, Lawrence et al (2012) indicate that the immediate concerns for individuals clearing forests for agriculture or burning charcoal for money is neither conservation nor environmentalism. Rather, they are mostly concerned with basic survival. This practice therefore puts the environment under great pressure.

This coupled with intensified mechanization of deforestation by industries has resulted to extremely high rates of forest cover removal. The impact has been a devastating 13 million hectares of land being cleared down every year around the world.

This puts pressure on the natural resources and forest clearance either for alleviating poverty, raising economic status or promoting greater development through mechanization affects the balance in the ecosystem leading to poverty.

A more worrying effect to agree with Bonan(2008) is desertification. The rising temperatures as recorded over the years intensify the severity of draughts, by making more land uncultivable and less habitable.

Floods and submergence of coastal lowlands

According to Betts et al (2001), the rising temperatures over the years have resulted to excessive thawing of ice waters at the Polar Regions.

Consequently, the additional waters has resulted to key submergence and flooding of the low lying costal lands. Islands and low lying regions such as Venice, New Orleans and Indonesia have recorded key losses from floods (Lindsay & Thornton, 2012).

In the Caribbean, nations such as Cuba, Haiti and the Domican Republic which rely on beach tourism to support their economies have started experiencing major losses from floods and could be headed to major disasters if the problem is not addressed.

From the above analysis, it is clear that deforestation is one of the most critical aspects that require immediate address if the earth is to avoid major disasters. Cooperation and ethical responsibility is therefore critical for the risk to be effectively addressed.

Of greater importance is the need to assimilate better mechanisms based on research that provides empirical information on how to address the problem.

Besides, the future of individuals and businesses in the world is considered to be on a critical balance as states and their associated social-economic and political systems appear to differ greatly on the model that could be used to address deforestation and the awaiting disaster.

It is critical that the society at large take a leading role in progressively assimilating models that reduced felling of trees for whatever reasons. Due to the extent of the negative effects, corporate social responsibility by businesses should be taken with greater emphasis to link the respective stakeholders in addressing the problem.

For many years, trading in timber has been claimed to be a negligible factor in loss of forests. There has been a notion that wood fuel and agricultural land clearance are the most harmful forms of deforestation (Masood & Shah, 2012).

Growth in population is believed to be the cause of the major scourge in forestation. Industrial exploitation of wood is also a valid problem when it comes to the impacts of deforestation. Research has proven that there has been a misconception in the determination of the most relevant cause of forest loss.

Besides, the efforts by the international board of bio diversity preservation to define this problem are quite reliable. In its mission to enhance survival of the ecosystems, they have managed to give a clear picture of the problem at hand. It has been concluded that trading in timber is the most significant factor which leads to forest loss and degradation of the environment.

It is possible to conduct a detailed discussion which gives an account of how logging is harmful to forestation. This can be attained through pointing out realities which are on the ground. It is not easy to find a rich endowment of forests in areas which have large or small scale operations in timber harvesting.

Regions which have a high diversity of tree coverage have both old and valued trees. These are the major targets of commercial activities. It goes without saying that the more valuable a certain species is, the scantier it becomes as time progresses.

Hence, natural forests have been devastated. This is more rampant in areas where stewardship of forests is done by indigenous people or groups who are politically not empowered. A nominal state of control is experienced which later opens up forests towards deforestation.

The fact that these high diversified forests have a rich value has continued to draw growing attention. They have an established flow to markets given that they are easily acquired.

Commercial activities in timber industry have also led to reduction in the quality of forests. In a conservation perspective, it is true that there is no positive difference brought by replacing the world’s forest cover with plantations of trees. It should be noted that a principle of destroying in order to repair is not helpful at all.

It is a destructive plot which continues to abhor efforts of saving our ecosystems. It is also worth noting that the majority of native wildlife should not be destroyed intentionally with a mentality that replacement will be done in the near future.

Original native species should be left intact to continue multiplying. Even though it is impossible to retain a constant number of a given species, it is important to keep all rare trees alive. Replacing them with exotic types leads to the growth of weed species. This is as a result of cross pollinations which may not be easily curbed.

Poor quality of forests is being experienced across the globe. Most parts of Australia, North America, Europe and Africa at large have suffered greatly due to this problem. This is more felt in the biological value of forests. Analysis shows that the loss of trees which cover land has a far reaching impact than it is thought.

Quality in composition of forests is a basic intrinsic element which should be preserved to keep good ecosystems. This is because trees have different values. If ecosystems are not given a natural chance to have full development, then there is likelihood that forests will suffer numerous extinctions in the near future.

The impact of forest loss continues to be felt as time goes by. Forests have continued to grow scantly in different areas. Many countries have remained with fragments of what used to be areas of high forest cover. The only regions which seem to have rich forests are those which are next to human habitations.

The latter have proved to be less reliable due to the fact that timber trade has continued to grow. Actions of timber traders are at a critical level with the survival of biological forest. Ecosystems have been significantly affected in pursuit of timber (Lindsay & Thornton, 2012).

There have been years of continued degradation and as such, forests have terribly suffered. Areas with natural forest cover have remained to be the hope for future forestry. The earth has reached a point where it has vast pieces of land which had adequate forest cover but was cleared.

Young regenerations of such forests have minimal chances of survival because logging has devastated the available tree cover. Old forests have reached a point of no return. Research shows that if forests were not tempered with by timber harvesting, then flora and fauna would retain their primary growth.

Undisturbed forests are rear to obtain. They have been left in the hands of merciless activities of logging. It is evident that the quality of ecosystems in the current world has undergone gross degradation.

In a pursuit of what is believed to be sustainable development, nations have destroyed their rich natural ecosystem. Natural ecosystems are barely able to support life. There is a clear representation of the picture when chances of survival of given species of organisms are under the care of human beings.

The fact that people cannot stop commercial logging even after seeing its adverse effects is a solid prove of how tree life is no longer given the reverence it deserves. It should be noted that the activity of commercial logging is going to dilapidate ecosystems and posses a threat to the biological well being of both fauna and flora.

Assessments show that legal timber trade is harmful. In fact, deforestation due to illegal logging is negligible. Timber from illegal activities is a small percentage of the bulk that circulates in the global timer industry.

Logging has therefore proven to be a major cause of loss of forest cover. It is true that countries which carry out logging have a relatively high impact of losing sustainable ecosystems.

Indeed, the period of 30 years from now is very pivotal as far forest ecosystems are concerned. According to the current rate of commercial logging and deforestation for the sake of habitation, this period is going to determine the future of diverse natural forest ecosystems.

Policies interventions made during this period will play a vital role. An implicit decision of saving the world’s ecosystems is indeed vital (Masood & Shah, 2012).

This is a serious situation and more united stewardship of forests needs to be put in place. Governments should take this issue without hesitation. This is the time to regulate the international timber industry.

Betts, R. A., Falloon, P. D., Goldewijk, K. K. and Ramankutty, N. (2001) Biogeophysical effects of land use on climate: Model simulations of radiative forcing and large- scale temperature change . Agriculture for Meteor , 142, 216-233.

Bonan, G. B., (2008) Forests and climate change: Forcings, feedbacks, and the climate benefits of forests. Science , 320 (3), 1444- 1449.

Lawrence, P. et al (2012). Simulating the biogeochemical and biogeophysical impacts of transient land cover change and wood harvest in the community climate system model (CCSM4) from 1850 to 2100. Journal of Climate , 25(9), 3071-3095.

Masood, M., & Shah, F. (2012). Dilemma of third world countries – problems facing Pakistan energy crisis a case-in-point. International Journal of Business and Management , 7(5), 231-246.

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IvyPanda. (2024, February 26). The Impact of Logging and Deforestations on an Ecosystem. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-impact-of-logging-and-deforestations-on-an-ecosystem-critical-writing/

"The Impact of Logging and Deforestations on an Ecosystem." IvyPanda , 26 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/the-impact-of-logging-and-deforestations-on-an-ecosystem-critical-writing/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'The Impact of Logging and Deforestations on an Ecosystem'. 26 February.

IvyPanda . 2024. "The Impact of Logging and Deforestations on an Ecosystem." February 26, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-impact-of-logging-and-deforestations-on-an-ecosystem-critical-writing/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Impact of Logging and Deforestations on an Ecosystem." February 26, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-impact-of-logging-and-deforestations-on-an-ecosystem-critical-writing/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Impact of Logging and Deforestations on an Ecosystem." February 26, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-impact-of-logging-and-deforestations-on-an-ecosystem-critical-writing/.

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Effects of Deforestation

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What is deforestation.

Deforestation is a major environmental issue: between 2015 and 2020, the rate of deforestation was approximately 10 million hectares per year. And although that rate of loss has slowed over the last 30 years, according to The State of the World's Forests 2022 report it hasn’t decreased enough. Over 420 million hectares of forest have been lost since 1990.

Of that, around 80 million acres were ecologically important primary forests. Another 100 million acres of forest are directly threatened by forest fires, pests, diseases, invasive species, drought, and extreme weather events. Many of these snowballing threats are driven and/or amplified by climate change .

Because deforestation often takes place in diversity-rich ecosystems, a number of species are threatened. But how exactly does deforestation affect local ecosystems?

Let’s examine how deforestation can impact some of our most important ecosystems — and learn how to protect these critical landscapes.

Habitat Loss

Forest ecosystems encompass richly layered habitat types, which provide shelter to a breathtaking range of biodiversity — including 80% of amphibian species, 75% of bird species, and 68% of mammal species. From the Kirtland’s warbler that builds a nest amongst trees to the millions of species of plants, insects, and microorganisms scientists estimate are still undiscovered in tropical rainforests, countless species depend on trees to survive. When deforestation occurs, many species are unable to survive in the remaining fragments of forest. According to the World Wildlife Fund, this can make them more accessible (and therefore, vulnerable) to hunters and poachers; their populations are reduced, and some go extinct. Because many endemic species live in small, isolated locations, any amount of deforestation can result in extinction.

Increase in Greenhouse Gases

Trees not only provide critical habitat for many animal species, but they also help clean the air and remove carbon from the atmosphere. Deforestation means there are fewer trees available to sequester carbon — at a time when we need to reduce greenhouse gasses more than ever. And forest loss itself can accelerate the effects of climate change. According to the World Economic Forum , if deforestation were a country, it would be the third largest CO2 emitter in the world after China and the US.

Desertification and Soil Erosion

Trees have intricate root systems that help prevent soil erosion by holding the soil firmly in place. Their leaf canopies also help prevent erosion by slowing and absorbing precipitation. By helping the land retain water and remain healthy, the soil is able to provide rich nutrients to help sustain life. When deforestation occurs, soil is significantly more likely to erode. Erosion reduces soil fertility, which can negatively impact crop yields. During precipitation events, soil-laden water is also more likely to travel downstream, collecting in heavy layers of sediment that can cause significant damage to watersheds.

Disrupted Water Cycle

Forests don’t just improve water quality and flow: they also play a critical role in our water cycle by regulating precipitation, evaporation, and flows. The entire forest structure, from the canopy to the roots, stores and releases water vapor — controlling rainfall. Deforestation directly impacts this important function, destabilizing rainfall patterns and increasing the likelihood of flooding and drought. And these effects aren’t just local — studies have shown that deforestation in one part of the world can cause significant decreases in rainfall thousands of miles away.

Local Communities

While we often think of forests in connection with the environment and nature, many communities rely on their local forests. There are about 250 million people who live in forests and rely on trees for their incomes and to sustain their livelihoods. While deforestation can greatly affect people’s livelihoods, it also leads to more infectious diseases in humans . These are just a few of the ways deforestation can directly affect people

Deforestation is certainly scary. But there are ways we can help. By planting trees in areas that have been degraded or deforested, we can support the environment by guaranteeing or accelerating the re-establishment of healthy forest cover.

Reforestation can also protect biodiversity, stabilize the soil, support the water cycle , and slowly restore the vital ecosystem services we depend on. So, let's get to it — plant a tree with us today !

Gabrielle Clawson

Gabrielle helps with fundraising and marketing, working with peer-to-peer fundraising as well as business fundraising. With experience in both women's rights and climate change organizations, she has a strong passion for non-profits and is excited to make an impact in the world through environmental change!

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Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Deforestation — The Issue of Deforestration: Consequences and Prevention

The Issue of Deforestration: Consequences and Prevention

Categories: Deforestation Environmental Issues

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Words: 668 |

Published: Aug 10, 2018

Words: 668 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Consequences of deforestation, preventing deforestation, deforestation essay: hook examples.

The Vanishing Forests: Our planet’s lush green forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Join us on a journey to uncover the reasons behind deforestation, its devastating impact on ecosystems, and the urgent need for conservation.
The Amazon Rainforest: Lungs of the Earth: The Amazon rainforest is often referred to as the “lungs of the Earth.” In this essay, we’ll delve into the vital role rainforests play in maintaining the global climate and why their destruction is a global concern.
The Cost of Progress: Deforestation is often driven by economic interests. Explore the trade-offs between economic development and environmental preservation, and the potential consequences for future generations.
Endangered Species: The Silent Victims: Deforestation poses a grave threat to biodiversity. This essay examines the impact on endangered species, their habitats, and the delicate balance of life disrupted by forest loss.
From Trees to Timber: Sustainable Solutions: While deforestation is a pressing issue, there are sustainable alternatives. Join us in exploring responsible forestry practices, reforestation efforts, and ways we can protect our forests for future generations.

Works Cited

BBC News. (n.d.). Deforestation: The hidden cause of global warming.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2015). Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015: How are the world’s forests changing?
Greenpeace. (n.d.). Deforestation and climate change.
Hosonuma, N., Herold, M., De Sy, V., De Fries, R. S., Brockhaus, M., Verchot, L., … & Romijn, E. (2012). An assessment of deforestation and forest degradation drivers in developing countries. Environmental Research Letters, 7(4), 044009.
Malhi, Y., Roberts, J. T., Betts, R. A., Killeen, T. J., Li, W., & Nobre, C. A. (2008). Climate change, deforestation, and the fate of the Amazon. Science, 319(5860), 169-172.
Nepstad, D., McGrath, D., Stickler, C., Alencar, A., Azevedo, A., Swette, B., … & Brooks, V. (2014). Slowing Amazon deforestation through public policy and interventions in beef and soy supply chains. Science, 344(6188), 1118-1123.
Perz, S. G., Walker, R. T., & Caldas, M. M. (2006). Beyond population and environment: Household demographic life cycles and land use allocation among small farms in the Amazon. Human Ecology, 34(6), 829-849.
Rudel, T. K., Defries, R., Asner, G. P., & Laurance, W. F. (2009). Changing drivers of deforestation and new opportunities for conservation. Conservation Biology, 23(6), 1396-1405.
United Nations. (2021). The State of the World’s Forests 2020.
World Wildlife Fund. (n.d.). Deforestation and forest degradation.

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Several workers in a field carry bags of green seedlings.

Can Forests Be More Profitable Than Beef?

Cattle ranches have ruled the Amazon for decades. Now, new companies are selling something else: the ability of trees to lock away planet-warming carbon.

Forest restoration workers planted native Amazonian seedlings on degraded pastureland in Mãe do Rio, Brazil. Credit...

Supported by

By Manuela Andreoni

Photographs by Victor Moriyama

Manuela Andreoni visited restoration projects and ranches in the northern Amazon to understand how local economies there are changing.

May 2, 2024

The residents of Maracaçumé, an impoverished town on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, are mystified by the company that recently bought the biggest ranch in the region. How can it possibly make money by planting trees, which executives say they’ll never cut down, on pastureland where cattle have been grazing for decades?

“We are killing pasture that a lot of farmers need,” said Josias Araújo, a former cowboy who now works in reforestation, as he stood on a patch of soil he was helping to fertilize. “It’s all strange.”

The new company, which is also Mr. Araújo’s new employer, is a forest restoration business called Re.green. Its aim, along with a handful of other companies, is to create a whole new industry that can make standing trees, which store planet-warming carbon, more lucrative than the world’s biggest driver of deforestation: cattle ranching.

It’s the holy grail of the forest economy. And now, it might be within reach.

The stakes are high. About a fifth of the great rainforest is already gone. And scientist warn that rising global temperatures could push the entire ecosystem, a trove of biodiversity and a crucial regulator of the world’s climate, to collapse in the coming decades unless deforestation is halted and an area the size Germany is restored .

Josias Araújo, in a green shirt, sitting on a stack of bags in a field.

Re.green plans to restore native trees in deforested areas and sell credits that correspond to the carbon they lock away. Those trees will be protected, not logged. Then, businesses will use those credits to offset their own greenhouse gases in emissions accounting.

The bet hinges on the success of a system that’s being built from scratch and comes with some big challenges. Measuring the carbon held in trees and soil is complex. And, many conservationists worry that carbon credits could easily be abused by companies that want to appear environmentally conscious while sticking with fossil fuels.

Still, reforestation projects have created a buzz in the northern Amazon, where companies are rushing to buy up big plots of land with restoration potential.

“You know that people who handle cattle don’t care much about this reforestation stuff,” said Anderson Pina Farias, a rancher whose farm is almost completely deforested. But, he added, “if selling carbon is better than ranching, we can change businesses.”

Challenging an Empire

A backlash from nature seems to be helping the restoration companies win hearts and minds in a region where ranching culture runs deep.

Jose Villeigagnon Rabelo, the mayor of Mãe do Rio, a city in the northeastern part of the Amazon, is worried. A brutal drought fueled by climate change and deforestation has recently dried out much of the grass that ranchers there use as feed. And, after decades of pounding by hooves, millions of acres across the region have become so degraded they can’t nourish much of anything.

“The cattle are starving,” Mr. Rabelo said sitting in his office, with wooden paneling and benches made of angelim-vermelho, a tree that’s become hard to find in the region. “We’ve never had a summer like this.”

The crisis has prompted ranchers to dedicated bigger and bigger parts of their farms to feed ever-shrinking numbers of cattle. Now, fewer than half of the ranches registered with the city have any cattle on them.

But around a year ago, restoration company called Mombak started a 7,500-acre project on one of the region’s biggest ranches. Mr. Rabelo says he is hopeful the new industry will offer the community a lifeline.

The idea is simple: A credit for each ton of carbon that the trees pull out of the atmosphere can be sold to companies that want to compensate for their own pollution.

Environmental disruptions, combined with growing interest in carbon credits, have created an opening to challenge the beef empire’s hold on vast stretches of the rainforest, experts say. According to a 2023 report by BloombergNEF , carbon markets could be valued at $1 trillion by 2037, double what the global beef market is worth now.

Growing a large, biodiverse forest on degraded land can cost tens of millions of dollars. For years, forestry projects had to rely on multiple revenue streams, including sustainable timber harvesting, to restore soil and grow different types of natives trees.

But companies looking to burnish their climate credentials are increasingly willing to spend more to fund projects they deem to be high quality. It’s why companies like Mombak and Re.green are now developing a business model that relies almost solely on carbon credits, with little or no logging.

Microsoft has bought a major project from Mombak, and Re.green says it expects to announce buyers soon. The two companies have raised some $200 million from investors — including large pension funds, the Brazilian Development Bank and global asset managers — to reforest hundreds of thousands of acres by the end of the decade.

“Scaling all of the other carbon removal sectors, it’s just going to move too slow,” said Brian Marrs, Microsoft’s senior director of energy and carbon. “I don’t think there’s a solution to carbon removal without global forestry included.”

Part of the strategy of companies like Mombak and Re.green is to help farmers improve land and intensify cattle ranching in some degraded areas while restoring forests on others. On average, Amazon ranches support one animal on every two acres. That could rise to three animals with little investment, researchers say .

Most projects employ a few dozen local people to plant trees, fertilize the soil and stand lookout for fires. The companies are also funding and training local businesses to provide much-needed native seeds and seedlings.

In some projects, as the forests grow local communities can also make a living from collecting and processing Brazil nuts, andiroba oil and other forest products they can sell to food, beauty and pharmaceutical companies.

When a standing forest becomes an answer to people’s range of needs, that becomes a powerful reason for communities to protect it, said Luiza Maia de Castro, an economist who is managing community relations for Re.green. Right now, razing trees is a perfectly acceptable livelihood in most of the Amazon.

“To break that cycle,” she said, “you have to change how people make a living.”

‘Real Questions’ About a New Model

The efforts still face big challenges. The supply of seeds for native trees is a bottleneck, and finding farms to buy in regions where land tenure is chaotic can take months of research.

Perhaps more important, the trajectory of carbon credit prices depends on whether the world can agree on what a high-quality credit looks like. The carbon markets have been repeatedly rattled by academic and media investigations that revealed dozens of projects had overstated their emissions impact, for instance, by “protecting” forests that were never in danger of being cut down.

But reforestation projects store carbon by growing trees on degraded land, a more straightforward system.

Some experts caution that displaced cattle could simply continue to drive deforestation elsewhere and that wildfires could erase the benefits of trees that took decades to grow.

“It sounds like carbon finance can make a difference,” said Barbara Haya, the director of the Berkeley Carbon Trading Project, which has investigated a number of carbon forestry projects. But she said there were also real questions about accounting methods.

On top of that, she added, “it’s problematic to trade forest carbon for fossil fuel emissions.” That’s partly because buying carbon credits might prove less costly than transitioning a business away from dirty sources of energy, the thing that scientists say the world must ultimately do to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

The companies say they have addressed concerns by setting up firefighting teams, making sure their projects don’t affect cattle supply and adopting a methodology that allows for changing circumstances like new government land policies.

And, remaking a forest isn’t only about the carbon math. It takes a lot more than planting trees. To get it right, scientists working in restoration have to study how each plant fits into a complex ecosystem.

Walking in the forest that remains in Re.green’s farm in Maracaçumé, Ricardo Rodrigues, a professor at the University of São Paulo and a co-founder of Re.green, didn’t stop by the samaúma tree, an Amazonian giant that can live hundreds of years and grow over 200 feet tall, or by the peroba, which is prized in the timber industry.

Instead, he grabbed a vine called a monkey ladder, which was about 10 feet long and perhaps a foot in diameter, that was hanging from a branch.

“For it to grow to this size, it takes decades,” he said. But the forest needs it, he added, because it holds a lot of water, producing flowers and fruit during drier seasons. “It maintains pollinators when trees can’t.”

Creating the conditions for vines, bromeliads and orchids to grow is a part the challenge, too, Mr. Rodrigues said. It’s how you make sure the forest will remain a forest after humans stop helping it along.

Right now, the idea is to get both humans and nature to work together. Techniques vary, depending on how far each parcel of land is from the existing forests. The nearest new plots benefit from the forest’s regenerative powers.

In Mãe do Rio, reforestation workers have been planting 1,000 seedlings a day, working alongside tractors that make trenches on the soil. Drones are documenting their progress.

Six months after the first round of planting, the team was ready to measure the 44 trees in one sample plot. Luiz Carlos Batista Lobato, a botanist who specializes in tree censuses, walked across the plot to document three trees that had died, many that were taller than him and one that was more than two inches thick.

In a few years, Mr. Batista Lobato said, monkeys and armadillos would come to eat the fruits of different trees and birds would feast on the açaí berries, dispersing their seeds as they move around the forest.

“That’s the cycle,” he said.

Watching the trees start to grow helped to dispel some of the skepticism that farmers across the region still have. Back in Maracaçumé, Djalma Soares, a rancher who works on land next to the Re.green project, said that, though he still loves his cattle, he can’t deny that the idea of bringing the forest back to life is “beautiful.”

Mr. Soares said he never had the privilege of studying all the other things he could do with his farm beyond raising cattle. But, still, he feels the unrelenting heat. Seeing his neighbors work to address that, he said, is inspiring.

“We end up feeling like following the same path,” he added, as he watched the sun set on a vast pasture. “We see that it’s the future.”

Manuela Andreoni is a Times climate and environmental reporter and a writer for the Climate Forward newsletter. More about Manuela Andreoni

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Have questions about climate change? Our F.A.Q. will tackle your climate questions, big and small .

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In theory, online shopping can be more efficient than driving to the store. But you may still want to think before you add to cart.

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Did you know the ♻ symbol doesn’t mean something is actually recyclable ? Read on about how we got here, and what can be done.

Positive and Negative Effects of Immigration on the Economy

This essay about the economic impacts of immigration examines both the positive and negative effects. It highlights how immigration introduces valuable labor to fill job vacancies, boosts innovation through diverse skills, and helps balance demographic shifts in aging populations. Conversely, it acknowledges potential downsides, such as wage suppression and increased competition for low-skilled jobs among native workers, as well as added strain on public services like education and healthcare. The piece argues that the challenges of immigration can be managed through thoughtful policies that foster economic integration and maintain social cohesion, thus maximizing its benefits while addressing its drawbacks.

How it works

Migration manifests as a multifarious phenomenon capable of reshaping a nation’s economic terrain in profound manners. Discourses regarding its repercussions tend to polarize, oscillating between its purportedly favorable and adverse impacts. By delving into both facets, we can garner a more nuanced comprehension of how migration influences economic dynamics.

One of the preeminent constructive ramifications of migration lies in the infusion of labor and aptitude into the host economic milieu. Migrants frequently occupy pivotal lacunae in the labor sphere, assuming roles that indigenous citizens might be disinclined to undertake.

This spectrum encompasses highly specialized vocations in technology and healthcare to indispensable functions in agriculture and construction. The variegation of skills and experiences that migrants introduce can catalyze ingenuity and propel economic expansion. For instance, numerous leading technological enterprises in the United States were instigated by migrants or their descendants, attesting to the substantial contribution of migrant entrepreneurship to employment creation and technological progression.

Furthermore, migration can serve as a counterbalance to the adverse economic consequences of an aging populace. In nations characterized by dwindling birthrates and escalating life expectancies, the workforce can dwindle, exerting heightened strain on social welfare systems. Migrants, typically entering the workforce age bracket, can help sustain a more balanced demographic equilibrium, buttressing the pension system and ensuring a steady influx of laborers. This demographic infusion is imperative for sustaining workforce vitality, a cornerstone for perpetuating economic productivity and supporting a burgeoning cohort of retirees.

Nevertheless, migration can also pose conundrums to the host economy, notably concerning its ramifications on wages and employment prospects for native-born laborers. Some posit that an influx of migrant laborers can engender competition for specific low-skilled vocations, potentially depressing wages and engendering impediments for indigenous laborers in securing employment. These repercussions are often acutely discernible in sectors characterized by low barriers to entry and elastic labor supply. Furthermore, if migrants concentrate in particular geographical locales or sectors, this can precipitate regional disparities in employment accessibility and wage levels, exacerbating societal frictions and economic disparity.

Another noteworthy apprehension pertains to the strain on public amenities. Swift population augmentation via migration can strain infrastructure, lodging, healthcare, and educational facilities. If not judiciously managed, this can precipitate overcrowded schools, protracted wait times at medical institutions, and escalated demand for affordable housing, thereby compromising the quality of life for all residents. The fiscal implications of migration hinge largely on the attributes of the migrants themselves (such as their age, educational attainment, and health status) and the adaptiveness of public policies in effectuating the effective assimilation of newcomers.

In summation, migration harbors the potential to enrich an economy, rendering it more dynamic and resilient. It infuses labor, fosters innovation, and can ameliorate demographic imbalances. Nonetheless, it also poses quandaries necessitating prudent management, such as labor market competition, potential wage compression, and demands on public services. The crux of optimizing benefits while assuaging drawbacks lies in sagacious and holistic policy frameworks that buttress economic assimilation and societal harmony. Grasping these intricate dynamics is imperative for any dialogue on migration, guaranteeing that policies not only address immediate exigencies but also align with enduring economic and societal objectives.

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Why deforestation matters—and what we can do to stop it

Causes of deforestation

Why it matters

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History & Culture

How Does Deforestation Affect the Environment?

1. Effects on Climate Change

2. Effects on Soil Pollution and the Water Cycle

3. The Effects on Humans

4. The Effects on Animals and Plants

5. The Effects on Food Security

Can We Halt Deforestation?

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About the Author

Martina Igini

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Effects of deforestation on humans and the environment

What is deforestation?

The connection between factory farming pollution and deforestation

What are the causes of deforestation?

Animal agriculture

Livestock ranching

Growing animal feed

Forest fires

Illegal logging

Urbanization

Desertification of land

What are the effects of deforestation?

Effects of deforestation on humans

Food insecurity

Local people and their livelihoods

Effects of deforestation on the environment

Soil erosion

Climate change

Effects of deforestation on biodiversity

Habitat loss

Wildlife extinction

Acidic oceans

What animals are affected by deforestation?

How can we stop deforestation?

What has been done so far?

What you can do

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FAQs on Essay on Deforestation

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