Deforestation: Causes, Effects, and Preventive Measures

Deforestation refers to the cutting down of a large number of trees from the areas of forests or other such areas in order to facilitate human activities easily. Over 30 percent of the area of our planet Earth is covered by forests. Forests help in supplying various elements for our survival on this planet. The removal of the same leads to a loss of biodiversity, causes disturbances in the water cycle, causes damage to natural habitats of animals and also leads to soil erosion. Thus deforestation leads to a threat to our environment as it contributes to global warming, thereby causing climate change too. In this article, we will have a look at the importance of forests, the causes of deforestation, and the harmful effects it has on our environment.

What is deforestation?

Deforestation refers to the massive cleaning of trees from forests or other barren lands in order to serve human demands. Natural forests are being cut down to use the barren land formed in place for cultivation, building houses and industries, clearing areas for cattle grazing, forming space for mining, for construction of dams, or for other such human activities. The wood that is obtained in the process is also used for making furniture for our homes or is used as fuel. The wood from the forests has been used for human needs since the beginning of civilization. 

Read Also: Our Environment

Importance of forests

Trees provide shelter to various organisms in the forests. They also help in maintaining the water cycle and serving various human needs. Forests are a very vital part of our ecosystem. They are important for us as:

• As forests are an indispensable resource and provide an uninterrupted supply of oxygen, they are referred to as the lungs of the Earth as they make life possible for all human beings and organisms.
• Forests absorb greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, acting as a storehouse of carbon, thereby combating climate change.
• The trees in the forests form an oasis of shade as they block sunlight. In various urban areas, these trees help in tackling severe issues such as the ‘heat island’ effect.
• As a large number of trees in the forests provides mechanical support to the soil, they help in preventing soil erosion.
• Forests are an indispensable source of oxygen, medicine, clean water, and food.
• With the help of the process of transpiration, the forests add water to the atmosphere, thereby playing a vital role in the water cycle.
• Forests account for approximately 1% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the world.
• Approximately 1.6 billion jobs are dependent on the forests.
• By acting as a sink for the floodwater, forests combat the disastrous effects and damages caused by floods.
• Forests are a source of various raw materials for many commercially important products such as wood, paper, and fabric.
• Forests are homes for over 80% of the biodiversity based on land. Over 50% of the species of Earth reside there. 
• They promote the growth and development of a country.

Causes of deforestation

The causes of deforestation can mainly be classified into two types: natural causes and human activities. 

Human Activities 

While humans used to worship plants and trees, now they have resorted to cutting them for their selfish needs. The various human activities that contribute to deforestation are:

1. Agriculture

The clearing of forests for agricultural land and activities is a primary cause of deforestation. According to the data from UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), agriculture accounts for over 80 percent of deforestation. The primary agricultural activities that lead to the degradation of forests are:

• Expansion of agricultural land
• Growing field crops such as cocoa, palm oil, soya bean, etc. For instance, in Malaysia, deforestation is done on a major scale to extract palm oil.
• Raising livestock

2. Logging

Logging includes the cutting of trees for raw materials to be used for commercial purposes in industries. Illegal logging of wood fuel and the expansion of roads also contributes to deforestation. Industries based on wood such as furniture, paper, and match-sticks industry needs a huge supply of wood. Trees are cut down for fuel supplies such as charcoal and firewood. 

3. Urbanization

With the increasing population, the needs of humans are also increasing. For the purpose of dwelling, a huge number of forests are cut down. The land obtained after deforestation serves various purposes such as for the construction of homes and industries, development of roads, mineral expansion, etc. The increasing population has increased the need for settlements and housing areas which further leads to deforestation activities.

Natural Causes

1. Natural calamities such as floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, etc can also lead to the destruction of forests.
2. Forest fires by natural causes such as lightning are responsible for clearing large areas of land.
3. Invasion of the forest ecosystem by some parasites or other animal species can destroy the biodiversity of various areas of land.

Read Also: Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable Substances

Effects of Deforestation

The various effects of deforestation are:

• Biodiversity Loss

Forests are a habitat of over 80% of the species that exist on Earth. Deforestation destroys all the habitats of these animals and plants thereby causing many species to become extinct in nature. This leads to “biodiversity loss”. While many species have become extinct, multiple species remain endangered. The loss of these species due to the destruction of their habitat causes a disturbance in the ecosystem. 

• Climate Change

As forests absorb a huge amount of CO2 from the atmosphere, releasing O2 in the process which is necessary for our breathing. Carbon dioxide and gases like methane are responsible for trapping heat in the atmosphere of the Earth. The removal of trees leads to global warming as the cutting of trees increases the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causing an absorption deficit. This releases greenhouse gases leading to a change in the climate.

• Soil Erosion

The cutting of trees weakens the soil and hence soil erosion occurs. The exposure of the land to the heat of the sun dries the moisture that exists inside the soil. The nutrients present are evaporated and therefore when rainfall comes, the soil is washed off and soil erosion occurs. As a result of which, the irrigation infrastructure and hydroelectric structures are damaged.

• Floods

Deforestation also causes erosion of land. As the water level of various water bodies rises, floods occur. Trees absorb and therefore store a huge amount of water when it rains through their roots. This flow of water is disrupted due to deforestation causing floods in various areas.

• Affect on the Economy

Deforestation provides the raw material for various industries. The overexploitation of these resources leads to a reduction in the long-term productivity of the economy. Hence, a sustainable approach to the use of these resources will be really beneficial for the economy of a nation.

Deforestation can be prevented by following various preventive measures that can be followed on an individual level and also implemented by our government. Individuals and government play a really important role in the protection of forests.

Role of Individuals

• Implementation of the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
• Reduce: Reducing the consumption of paper and instead of that using their alternatives.
• Reuse: Avoiding products that are just for the purpose of use and throw in order to prevent wastage of materials.
• Recycle: Recycling all the paper and wood products in a diligent manner.
• Spreading awareness regarding the importance of trees and the harmful effects of deforestation. 
• Planting more and more trees to compensate for the removal of trees which in turn will only benefit mankind.

Role of Government

• Launching new campaigns for reforestation to restore the destroyed lands.
• Investing in new and latest technologies such as hydroponics for the agricultural industry.
• Aiding farmers to implement agricultural practices that are eco-friendly in nature like the process of cyclic agriculture.
• Implementations of strict rules to prevent illegal logging activities.
• Careful implementation of plans of construction of infrastructure such as roads, industries, homes, dams, etc to reduce the loss of area of forests.
• Investing in forests planted with trees that offer high yields increases the output of the natural forests.
• Increasing the forest range and area that are under the protection of the government.
• Implementing rules to ban the agricultural practices that are inefficient like slash-and-burn agriculture, which refers to the practice of burning huge areas of land in forests and then planting crops in the same soil which has now become fertilized due to the addition of the ashes of the burnt trees.
• Use of alternatives of wood like bamboo to reduce the demand for wood fuel and timber. 

Read Also: Pollution

Things to Remember

• Deforestation refers to the cutting down of a large number of trees from the areas of forests or other such areas in order to facilitate human activities easily.
• Trees provide shelter to various organisms in the forests. 
• They also help in maintaining the water cycle and serving various human needs.
• The clearing of forests for agricultural land and activities is a primary cause of deforestation.
• 20% of the oxygen supply of the world is supplied from the Amazon rainforest. Due to deforestation, the forest loses approximately 1.32 acres of land every minute.
• Natural forests are being cut down to use the barren land formed in place for cultivation, building houses and industries, clearing areas for cattle grazing, forming space for mining, for construction of dams, or for other such human activities.
• Deforestation also causes erosion of land.
• Forests are a habitat of over 80% of the species that exist on Earth. 
• The use of alternatives of wood like bamboo to reduce the demand for wood fuel and timber can help in preventing deforestation.
• Deforestation destroys all the habitats of these animals and plants thereby causing many species to become extinct in nature.
• Planting more and more trees to compensate for the removal of trees which in turn will only benefit mankind.