Deforestation

DEFORESTATIONBY

Fabian Koh

&

Jessica Loi

What Is Deforestation?• Logging and/or

burning of trees in forested areas

• Clearing of trees

Importance of Forests• Home to 50%-90% of organisms• Spices and medicines• Maintain/Improve quality of air• Replenishes the atmosphere• Cools and regulates the Earth’s

temperature• Prevents soil erosion & landslides

Causes• Overpopulation• Agriculture

– Slash and burn– Cattle grazing– Cash crops

• Commercial & Industrial purposes• Others

– Building of dams– Acid rain

EFFECTS

Loss of Biodiversity

Dead fishes washed ashore at the Rajang River caused by deforestation

Erosion•Degradation of soil

•Formation of sediments in river

Flooding•Deforestation increases the surface run-off from rainfall

•Without forests, a greater proportion of rain falls to the ground.

Climate Change

• Amount of CO2 increases.

• 2007 – 2.2 billion tons of Carbon emitted every year.

Controlling Deforestation

• Kyoto Protocol• New methods of farming• Forest management• Certification of sustainable forest

management practices• Reforestation

What should we do as an individual?• Practise the 5Rs

– Reduce– Reuse– Recycle– Rethink– Repair