The Reasons and Negative Impact of Deforestation

The clearance, or clearing of forest or stand of trees is “deforestation”. Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses. Deforestation occurs around the world, though tropical rainforests are particularly targeted. If current deforestation levels proceed the world's rainforest will vanish in as little as 100 years. An estimated 18 million acres (7. 3 million hectares) of forest, which is roughly the size of the country of Panama, are lost each year. As you can see the topic of deforestation could cause harm, as of animal life, and cutting trees may cause a lack of oxygen. Illegal logging occurs in all types of forests across all continents from Brazil to Indonesia destroying nature and wildlife, taking away community livelihoods and distorting trade. Illegally harvested wood finds its way into major consumption markets, such as the U. S., and European Union, which further fuels the cycle.

Effect/Negative Impact

Deforestation can have negative impact on the environment. The most dramatic impact is a loss of habitat for millions. Common methods of deforestation are burning trees and clear cutting. These tactics leave the land completely barren and are controversial practices. Clear cutting is when large swaths of land are cut down all at once. Burning can be done quickly, in vast swaths of land, or more slowly with the slash-and-burn technique. Slash and burn agriculture entails cutting down a patch of trees, burning them and growing crops on the land. The ash from the burned trees provides some nourishment for the plants and the land is weed-free from the burning. When the soil becomes less nourishing and weeds begin to reappear over years of use, the farmers move on to a new patch of land and begin the process again.

Forest loss is both a cause and an effect of our changing climate. Climate change can damage forests, for instance by drying out tropical rainforests and increasing fire damage in boreal forests. Inside forests, climate change is already harming biodiversity, a threat that is likely to increase.

The most common reasons are:

• To make more land available for housing and urbanization.
• To harvest timber to create commercial items such as paper, furniture and homes
• To create ingredients that are highly prized consumer items, such as the oil from palm trees.
• To create room for cattle ranching.

Deforestation and forest degradation can happen quickly, such as when a forest is clear-cut to make way for a palm oil plantation or a new settlement. It can also happen gradually as a result of ongoing forest degradation as temperatures rise due to climate change caused by human activity.

Forests play a big role to maintain water cycle, provide living space for animals, maintain environmental balance and prevent soil erosion. Without forests, it is not possible to have rains or breathe in pure air for us. But due to explosive growth rate of human population, the need for more land for living and farming purposes is increasing. That is why; forests are being continuously cut for wood, fuel, farming, home and comfort. People are turning the forest into plotted land to build cities. And as you can see deforestation could help but also harm our economy. Also I think that we could if we need the wood the trees than we should plant more.