Deforestation

DEFORESTATION

Introduction

Deforestation is the conversion of forested areas to non-forested land, for uses.

Deforestation results from removal of trees without sufficient reforestation.

The consequences of deforestation are largely unknown and the impacts not verified by sufficient scientific data leading to considerable debate amongst scientists.

Deforestation is the permanent destruction of indigenous forests and woodlands.

Deforestation has resulted in the reduction of indigenous forests to four-fifths of their pre-agricultural area.

Indigenous forests now cover 21% of the earth's land surface.

Why Trees Matter ? Forests must first be given credit

for what they bring to global ecosystems and the quality of life that all species maintain.

Tropical Rainforests presently give a place to call 50% - 90% of all organisms.

Human race also benefits from what the trees give.

The rainforests amplify and save lives.

25% of medicines come from the forests

Trees improve the quality of the air Trees determine rainfall and replenish the atmosphere.

Mother earth has given much responsibility to trees.

Causes Of DeforestationDIRECT CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION.

-: Agriculture & Cattle Raising.

-: Dams & Mega Projects.

-: Mangroves & Shrimp Farming.

-: Mining.

-: Oil & Gas.

-: Logging & Plantation.

Population Growth and Deforestation

Today 500,000 hectors vanish in a single week .

There is overpopulation in cities and developing countries.

Population is continually growing in the third world.

To settle farmland, the poor become "shifted cultivators" and resort to using slash and burn methods of tree removal.

The ash is used as a fertilizer and the land is then used for farming or cattle grazing increasing chemicalschemical means contaminate water and soilThis is a specific example of how population growth and slash and burn agriculture is a terrible cycle that will destroy the forest.

Logging and Deforestation

The small farmer plays a big role with modern industry in cutting down the trees.

The logging industry is fueled by the need for disposable products. 11 million acres a year are cut for commercial and property industries .

The demand for fuel wood is very high that will create a shortage by the year 2010.

The amount of damage that this adds to the forests cannot be measured Importers buy illegally logged wood Logging is the Major Cause of Global Deforestation.

FIRE LOGGING CYCLE

Cattle Grazing and Deforestation

15,000 km squared of forests are used expressly for the purpose of cattle grazing .

Once the trees are gone the land is often overgrazed.

Cattle grazing is big profit that cant be turned down.

Cattle Grazing and Deforestation •Most devastating forces behind deforestation is cattle grazing.•International fast food chains seems to be an evident factor in the clearing of trees today.•Large corporations buy Beef for hamburger & other food products.

OTHER CAUSES  Other Causes:- Acid rain and the building of dams

have their share of harmful effects. The race to produce cash crops such as

fruit, spices, sugar tobacco, soap, rubber, paper, and cloth has given cause to many to try to farm them by using soil and other products.

Industrialized countries may participate in the destruction of forests in the 3rd world.

The need for products in industrialized countries drives production in other poorer, less developed countries.

This production is at the cost of the trees and the services that they provide.

EFFECTS

Deforestation presents multiple societal and environmental problems.

The immediate and long-term consequences of global deforestation are almost certain to jeopardize life on Earth as we know it.

Some of these consequences include: loss of biodiversity; the destruction of forest-based-societies climatic disruption.

EFFECTS

EROSION The underlying soils are very poor . essential nutrients are washed out of

the soil all-together. about 80% of the soils in the humid

tropics are acidic and infertile rainfall washes remaining nutrients

into rivers. replanting trees will not necessarily

help to solve the problems of deforestation.

cultivation in the forest regions will be impossible.

The soil erosion will lead to permanent impoverishment of huge land areas.

The social impact of soil erosion can be quite severe.

FLOODING Flooding is a quite serious

consequence of deforestation. Clearing the forest

dramatically increases the surface run-off from rainfall.

"Tropical forests can receive as much rain in an hour as London would expect in a wet month.

In tropical regions where the forests are dense, flooding is not as serious a problem.

to avoid the disastrous effects of flooding, tropical forests need to remain dense and lush.

EFFECTS

CLIMATIC CHANGE It is due to the loss of trees. Earth has an atmosphere which

contains a variety of gases, all in a delicate balance, to ensure life on Earth.

The gas in atmosphere is carbon dioxide; a gas which helps moderate heat loss to outer space.

Insulating gases such as carbon dioxide are called "greenhouse gasses

Greenhouse gases include methane, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrous oxide, and ozone.

The process of greenhouse gas increase is quite simple.

The effects of deforestation are widely ranging and can be irreversible if not stopped.

EFFECT TO BIODIVERSITY

Forests are natural habitats to many types of animals and organisms.

Many animals are left without shelters. Those that manage to go through the flat

lands and residential sites are then killed by people.

There are millions of plant and extinct animal species that have been wiped out

Thus, biodiversity is significantly lowered because of the savage deforestation

Wildlife advocates have been constantly reminding that several wild animals left in the world could still be saved if deforested forests are reforested.

The practice of slash and burn of forests would be totally abandoned.

Controlling Deforestation

FARMING

New methods are being developed to farm more intensively.

In cyclic agriculture, cattle are grazed on farm land that is resting and rejuvenating.

Cyclic agriculture actually increases the fertility of the soil.

Intensive farming can also decrease soil nutrients

REFORESTATION

In many parts of the worldreforestation and afforestation are increasing the area of forested lands.

the government should pass law stating that every able-bodied citizen between the ages of 11 and 60 plant three to five trees per year.

Afforestation is required to repair the damage caused by man

Conclusion

We as human beings may not understand the severity of the possible consequences that deforestation poses.

Since deforestation has had no severe effect on us yet, we ignore the problem.

The simple fact is that the more paper we use, the more forests need to be cut down to serve our paper needs.

We might be killing our chances of finding the cures for diseases such as Cancer, Aids, Multiple Sclerosis, or a multitude of others.

The only way to ensure that we will not encounter any of the consequences of deforestation is to stop destroying the forests all together

Exercise the same at all levels of life The sad fact is that once the forests are gone, we won’t

be able to fix the damage which we have caused………