Deforestation What is causing this process and how can it be reversed?

Deforestation

What is causing this process and how can it be reversed?

• Deforestation is conversion of forested land areas to non-forest land

• The non-forseted land is used for arable land (farming or grazing) or urban use (bulidings, homes, etc)

• Even with reforestation, biodiversity (natural environment) loss may still occur

•Deforestation can be natural (lightning, wildfires)

•Usually deforestation is man made

Man-made reasons

1. Clearing land to graze cattle

2. Developers who want to urbanize areas

3. Logging/wood industry (wood products)

4. Indigenous farmers who use a technique called slash & burn

• Slash & burn is cutting down trees & then burning them

• Ash can be a nutrient for the ground to grow crops more quickly

Problems with deforestation • Trees breathe in CO2 (greenhouse gas) and breathe out oxygen,

less trees = more pollution

• Natural wildlife habitats are destroyed

• Absence of trees affects the water in the ground

• Landslides – no natural barrier to stop mud with less trees on hillside

How people are helping

1. Planting more trees

• China requires every citizen age 11-60 to plant three trees a year2. Less consumer demand for wood products

3. Arbor Day foundation

How much deforestation?

USA

Brazil