Forests occupy thirty percent of the planet’s surface area (Derouin, 2019). They enable people to grow and live by, for example, through air and water purification and providing employment; an estimated thirteen million people worldwide work in the forest industry and another forty-one million work in a related field. Most wild animals depend on forests, too; forests are habitat to eighty percent of the planet’s land-based animals. Trees are also essential in alleviating climate change since they serve as a sink for carbon dioxide, absorbing atmospheric carbon that contributes to changes in climatic patterns. However, forests throughout the globe are at risk, putting these advantages in jeopardy. Forest degradation and deforestation are the major manifestations of such risks. Hence, this article will discuss the causes, effects, and solutions to deforestation.
Deforestation is the act of permanently removing trees to make way for something other than forest (Derouin, 2019). It includes clearing land for farming or grazing and utilizing the wood for fuel, manufacturing, or building. Forest clearing is a particular issue in tropical rain forests since these forests are the habitat of most of the planet’s biodiversity. For instance, approximately seventeen percent of the trees in the Amazon have been cleared in the previous fifty years, predominantly owing to tree clearance to graze cattle. Deforestation is most prevalent in this region around more populated regions, rivers, and roads. Nevertheless, remote locations have been eroded upon the discovery of precious mahogany, oil, and gold.
Causes of forest destruction
The reasons for forest destruction can either be indirect or direct. Direct causes of deforestation entail natural causes and human activities. Some natural causes include floods, fires, hurricanes, and pests (Geist, 2001). On the other hand, human activities that lead to the destruction of trees include mining, agricultural expansion, timber extraction, infrastructure development, and cattle breeding. Indirect causes of deforestation comprise poor governance and inadequate political actions that result in corruption, poor land tenure schemes, and inappropriate allocation of resources. Also, population growth, climatic changes, and military conflicts indirectly lead to deforestation. However, the following are the major reasons for deforestation:
Timber extraction
Very old trees are felled to produce cellulose or wood for the paper or furniture industries (Geist, 2001). Most methods used in cutting timber causes severe environmental harm, and these impacts are exacerbated by the expansion of roads needed to transport chopped wood to its intended location. As a result, other commercially unappealing trees with significant ecological and biological significance are destroyed.
Infrastructure and road construction
Besides building roads to move timber, forests are also destroyed to expand the road and railway system (Geist, 2001). Also, the construction of dams and industrial mining significantly contribute to deforestation.
Fuel
Firewood collection is often practiced by native inhabitants who need a readily available energy source for survival, given their recent population growth (Geist, 2001). It is an aspect that adds to the extensive industrial exploitation of timber.
Effects of deforestation
Deforestation has several devastating consequences on the environment and animals. These consequences include habitat loss, increased levels of greenhouse gases, altered atmospheric water, and soil erosion (Austin, 2017).
Habitat loss
Amongst the distressing and severe consequences of destroying trees is the extermination of plant and animal species due to habitat loss. The woods are home to seventy percent of all plants and animal species on earth (Austin, 2017). Forest degradation endangers both undiscovered and recognized species. The forest trees that provide refuge for specific animals also provide the canopy that regulates temperature. Forest degradation induces extreme temperature fluctuation during the day and night, like in the desert, which might be fatal to many residents.
Elevated greenhouse gases
Aside from the habitat loss, the absence of forests allows for a higher discharge of greenhouse fumes into the air. Natural forests collect carbon dioxide gases from the air and serve as essential carbon sinks (Austin, 2017). Regions with no trees lose this ability, causing more carbon to be released, exacerbating global warming.
Low Atmospheric water
Trees also assist in regulating humidity (the amount of moisture in the air) by regulating the circulation of water (Austin, 2017). There is little moisture in the atmosphere to be released back to the land in degraded regions. It results in drier soil and difficulty in sustaining crops.
Flooding and soil erosion
Coastal flooding and Soil erosion are two further consequences of deforestation and forest degradation. Trees aid in retaining topsoil and water, which provides the rich minerals essential to maintain extra forest life (Pachamama, n.d.). Without trees, soil diminishes and drains away, compelling farmers to move to other areas and repeat the process. The unproductive ground that remains due to unsustainable farming systems is thus more vulnerable to floods, particularly in the coastal regions.
Remedies to deforestation
Ending deforestation and forest degradation provide an ideal opportunity to conserve wildlife. It is also one of the swiftest and economical ways to control global warming and the various effects of deforestation. Hence, the following solutions can be adopted to curb deforestation.
Improved farming
Creating solutions to forest degradation and deforestation can help reduce the necessity of falling trees. The desire to increase the quantity of land utilized for agriculture, for instance, is an attractive incentive to deforest a region. However, if people embraced sustainable agricultural techniques or innovative farming technology, the demand for additional land may be reduced (Derouin, 2019).
Afforestation and reforestation
Forests can be recovered by planting new trees in deforested regions or simply letting the forest regrow naturally over time (Derouin, 2019). According to the US Forest Service, regeneration aims to restore the forest to its initial condition before being destroyed. The earlier a deforested land is restored, the sooner the ecology may begin to heal. After that, animals will reappear, aquatic systems will be restored, carbon will be absorbed, and the soil will be restored.
Government regulations
The lucrative aspect of forest products might be enticing enough to keep deforestation going. Hence, an effective way to combat deforestation is to impose a set of rules and regulations that limit tree felling (Derouin, 2019). Deforestation may have generally decreased; nevertheless, it would be premature to make such an assumption.
Reduced paper consumption
Adopting a minimized consumption of paper materials like napkins, toilet paper, notebooks, and printing paper can go a long way to reduce logging (Derouin, 2019). Individuals should take the initiative to avoid paper wastage, reduce paper consumption, reuse paper products and go paperless whenever possible.
Raising awareness
Many people are unconscious of the global warming challenge that is facing humanity. Creating awareness among our families, friends, and community by enlightening them on the causes, effects, and solutions to forest degradation will aid in curbing deforestation.
In conclusion, deforestation is the act of permanently removing trees to make way for something other than forest. The major causes of deforestation are timber extraction, a source of fuel and infrastructure, and road construction. Deforestation has several impacts that include habitat loss, desertification, increased greenhouse fumes, and soil erosion. However, several remedies can be adopted to cub forest degradation, including restoration and afforestation, improved farming, raising awareness, government regulations, and reducing paper consumption.
References
Derouin, S. (2019). Deforestation: Facts, Causes & Effects. livescience.com. Retrieved 22 October 2021, from https://www.livescience.com/27692-deforestation.html.
Geist, H. J., & Lambin, E. F. (2001). What drives tropical deforestation. LUCC Report series, 4, 116.
Austin, K. F., Bellinger, M. O., & Rana, P. (2017). Anthropogenic forest loss and malaria prevalence: a comparative examination of the causes and disease consequences of deforestation in developing nations. AIMS Environmental Science, 4(2), 217-231.
