Deforestation is an unkind activity towards our nature by Humankind. It is a purposeful activity of clearance of Forest land. In this modern world, where we are surviving this Climate change because of these standing trees. But for our materialist needs we are converting forest land to non forest land. Deforestation causes loss of other uses of land such as Agricultural lands, Mining Activities, Urbanization. Most of the deforestation occurs in the tropics but wherever it is happening it’s impacting our climate. Forests cover about 30% of the world’s land area but disappearing so fast.
Reports & Research:
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), forests cover more than 30% of the Earth’s land surface. These inhabit 80% of the terrestrial species of the Earth. Forests produce oxygen and absorb Carbon Dioxide, which is an essential need for our survival. It is not only a source of food, medicine, fuels for the World’s population, but also provides jobs to them in the forest sector. It has been negatively affecting our ecosystems, biodiversity and the climate. The annual rate of deforestation has been estimated to be around an area of 1.3 million km per decade.
According to the World Bank, since the beginning of the 20th century around 3.9 million square miles of forest area have been lost. In the past 25 years, forests shrank by 1.3 million square km – an area bigger than the size of South Africa. According to Research, Beef, Soy, Palm Oil and Wood Products are the commodities for which deforestation occurred.
Causes of Deforestation:
Various factors, either man-made or natural origin, cause deforestation. Natural reasons like forest fires or any bacterial diseases may cause deforestation. But human activities are the reason for this vast deforestation.
1. Agriculture: According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, agriculture causes around 80% of the deforestation. Livestock and Field crops cause 40% of forest loss, where only livestock are responsible for about 14% of global deforestation.
2. Construction: Our current modern lifestyle demands construction of human infrastructure. 10% of deforestation is caused due to our lifestyle such as transportation, energy generation and transformation. Various transportation modes built to fulfill the need of human beings that transform from roadways to airways.
3. Urbanization: Shifting from rural areas to Urban areas is also one of the reasons for deforestation. According to research, 68% of the world population will shift to urban areas by 2050 that will lead to exponential increase in construction. As cities need more space to host more people that will lead to challenges in their surroundings. It ultimately leads to deforestation.
Effects of Deforestation:
1. It affects Biodiversity – Deforestation is a main threat to biodiversity. Forests are habitat from mammals to birds, insects, amphibians or plants. Human Activities are putting ecosystems in danger by creating imbalances and putting our life in threat
2. It affects local people and their livelihoods – There are many people depending on forests for survival and using them to hunt. Human Beings get these lands and use them for end products that will lead to destroying people’s lives.
3. It leads to food insecurity – 52% of land used for food production impacted due to deforestation ultimately causes soil erosion. It impacts lack of healthy, nutritious soil that leads to low yields and unhealthy food.
4. It affects Climate – It has a strong impact on Climate change. Trees absorb Oxygen and release back Carbon Dioxide and lack of trees cause Greenhouse effect and Global Warming.
Forests can only be restored by replanting trees in cleared areas. That will ultimately return wildlife, the water system will be reestablished, carbon will be isolated and soil will fill up again.
Stop Cutting down trees and save the planet!!