Essay on Deforestation

Essay on Deforestation

Essay on Deforestation 650+ words/ Essay for Deforestation / Deforestation essay/ for students

Introduction

Deforestation is the clearing the standing trees permanently to convert the areas into non-forest uses. Deforestation can be man- made or natural. The forest areas decrease across the world for agricultural land, urbanization, mining activities, timber, construction etc.

According to World Wildlife Fund, 30% of the Earth’s land surfaces covers with forest. These forests provide food and fuel to one million people; jobs in the forest sector to 13.4 million people and also provide jobs, related to forest to 41 million people.

We get oxygen to breath, food medicines, fuel, timber, paper, gum, oil and many more from the trees so trees are our true friend.

Causes of deforestation

Multiple factors cause deforestation which can be natural or man-made. Natural causes include storm, flood, wildfire, parasite-caused diseases etc. but the human’s greed and selfishness are the main causes of global deforestation. Here are some reasons for deforestation:

Agriculture

Agriculture causes 80% of deforestation, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Deforestation is most common in topical areas where the farmers used “slash-and-burn farming” cultivation method. In this method, the farmers burn the forest to clean the area and then they grow crops on that area. After few years the soil loses its fertility, then the farmers move to the new areas of the forest and performed the same practices.

Construction

With the growing of population, the people clear the forest to make their houses, build roads, dams etc. According to World Bank, the world already lost 1.3 million square kilometers of forest which is an area that is larger than South Africa.

Livestock

Livestock ranching is another cause of deforestation. Brazil, a top exporter of beef has lost an area of forest which is as same as the of three-quarter of Texas.

Illegal Logging

Wood is used to make paper, match sticks, furnitures, etc. The wood-based industries need a huge amount of wood supply so thousands of trees are chopped.

Firewood

In some places, especially rural areas people cut the trees to get firewood as fuel. 67% of India’s rural areas still use firewood for cooking.

Paper

Each year about 640 million trees are cutting down to make paper, according to Environment Paper Network.

Effects of deforestation

Deforestation affects the biodiversity. Deforestation also brings soil erosion, greenhouse gas emission, climate change, loss of habitat, flooding, water cycle disruption etc. here are some reasons:

·       Greenhouse gas emission- Trees give us oxygen to breath and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere which is a greenhouse gas. Deforestation increases this gas into the air.

·      Global warming- The trees play an important role to control global warming by utilize the greenhouse gases. Deforestation increases the greenhouses gases in the atmosphere, result global warming.

·      Water cycle- Trees help to regulate the water cycle but the lack of trees due to deforestation, the areas have less water in the air, as a result dry soil or drought.

·      Soil erosion- Tree roots bind the soil and prevent it to wash away. The top soil is very fertile but deforestation increase the soil erosion, as a result less fertile soil and fewer crops.

·      Water quality- 3/4 of the earth’s fresh water comes from the forested watersheds and over half the global population depends on this water for drinking, agriculture or other uses. So loss of trees affects water quality.

·      Loss of Habitat- 70% land animals and plants species live in forests. The tropical forest of New Guiana contains more than 6% of of world’s species of plants and animals. Deforestation. Cutting down trees will take away their habitat.

Conclusion

Forest is our true friends.30% of earth’s land is cover with forest. Forests are also known as the lungs of our mother Earth. Trees protect our environment in several ways. Deforestation is leading the world to destruction. Planting of more trees can save our earth. If we do not take any action against deforestation and do not try to repair the damages that has been caused for more than hundred years, our planet will no longer be habitable.