Deforestation is the permanent and irreversible destruction of forests and rainforests in order to make the land available for other uses such as: farming, growing products for the use of companies, agriculture, etc. It was estimated that 18 million acres of forest, which is roughly the size of Panama, are lost each year.

Deforestation usually happens in tropical rainforests. If current deforestation levels proceed, the world’s rainforests may be completely gone in only 100 years. Countries which have significant deforestation are: Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other parts of Africa, and other parts of Eastern Europe. The country which has the most deforestation is Indonesia which has lost at least 15.79 million hectares of forest land in the last century. There are many causes of deforestation. Research shows that half of the trees which are illegally removed form forests are used as fuel. Deforestation also occurs to make more land available for housing and urbanization, to harvest timber to create items such as paper, furniture and homes, to create ingredients that are highly prized consumer items, such as palm oil and also to create room for cattle ranching. Common methods used in order to achieve deforestation are: burning trees and clear cutting. These tactics leave the land completely bare of trees and do not allow anything else to grow there.

Deforestation is considered to be one of the main causes of climate change. When people burn the trees, the carbon dioxide (which is a greenhouse gas) produced is trapped in our atmosphere and therefore it makes the Earth warmer leading to climate change. Trees also take in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen so that we can breathe, burning and cutting down trees which give us life will have a huge impact in the near future if we don’t minimize deforestation. Forests are complex ecosystems that effect every species on the planet. 70% of the world’s plants and animals live in forests and are losing their habitats o deforestation. Loss of habitat leads to multiple species going extinct. It also has negative effects for medicinal research and local populations who rely on animals and plants in the forests. Trees are important in the water cycle. They absorb rainfall and produce water vapour which is then released into the atmosphere. Trees also lessen the pollution in water by stopping polluted runoff. Furthermore, tree roots anchor the soil. Without trees, the soil is free to wash or blow away, which can lead to vegetation growth problems. Soil erosion can lead to silt entering the lakes, streams and other water sources. This can decrease local water quality and contribute to poor health in populations in the area.

To help decrease deforestation and improve life quality we need to restore the ecosystem services provided by forests including carbon storage, water cycling and wildlife habitat, reduce the build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, rebuild wildlife habitats.

By Izabella Hill