Deforestation

Deforestation

Large areas of land that are natural habitats for animals, birds and plenty of other species of organisms are cut down. On a daily basis, there are some 10-20 acres of trees removed, in various places around the world.

In one example, the Amazon rainforest is home to 90% of all living species in the world, yet it is being cut down for all different uses by humans.

Some of those uses include farming. Whether it be agricultural, or for use in cattle farming, the land is put to use in other ways. But what then happens to the organisms that lived there before the trees were cut down?

Interesting fact: according to the United Nations Food and Agrilculture Organisation (FAO), an estimated 18 million acres (7.3 million hectares) of forest are lost each year.

Loss of Habitat

This accounts as one of the most important factors of deforestation. The loss of habitat for the wildlife that lives there. Let's put that into context. You live in a standard home (2, 3 or 4 bedroom house, right?), and you live in a street with other houses of similar size. Now, a skyscraper developer wants to build a giant skyscraper in their place, and use it for commercial uses.

What happens to you? Well, you can fight the big guys with all the money, but in the end you'll probably have to move on to somewhere else. But where will you go if there's nowhere else to go?

This is the same when it comes to the wildlife in forests and woods. When we remove these trees, we are removing their habitats, their place to live. It's the same thing.

Soil Erosion

Along with the trees being cut down, soil erosion occurs. When the trees are cut down, if it rains, the soil underneath would normally be held together with the trees there. But when they are gone, the land can slide and cause serious damage to properties in the local area.

What can we do?

Well, in short, we can conserve these areas better. We can either help maintain the environment in the area by planting a tree for every one we remove (this is sustainable), or we can help preserve the area by stopping the removal of trees, unless for treatment of disease or to thin out an area to help form new growth.

Here is a YouTube video from Cognito on deforestation:

But Why?

We don't want plant life and animals to go extinct, and their habitats are already in danger of being lost, so stopping deforestation and moving to a more sustainable environment is better for everyone.

It can also help bring down pollution levels in terms of water pollution (oak trees in the UK soak up to 50 gallons of water a day), air pollution and other types of pollution that require a natural resource to help out.