Deforestation Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, 2013 Listen Listen Deforestation Deforestation is the process of clearing large areas of land to harvest its timber or to prepare the land for another use. The land is cleared by logging, which is the removal of trees by cutting them down, and sometimes by burning trees. Deforestation is also caused by forest degradation, in which forests are destroyed unintentionally by fires, floods, insects, and changes in climate, as well as intentionally by illegal logging practices. Deforestation is controversial as it typically damages the land; however, it is deemed necessary for the survival of many people. While many new trees are planted each year, it is not enough to replace those that have been cut down previously. History Deforestation was used by some of the earliest humans as a means of survival. They cut down trees and cleared forests for farmland. They also cleared land to build houses for shelter and roads for travel and exploration. Throughout centuries, deforestation continued for many of these purposes. Forests were also cleared to make room for new highways, strip malls, and housing developments. Deforestation was also used for industrial practices, such as logging, which provides wood and paper products. Forests that were rich in minerals were cleared and mined for their resources. Who Is Affected by Deforestation? According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), forests cover about 30 percent of the earth. Nearly 90 percent of global deforestation affects just ten countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Indonesia, Peru, Russia, and the United States. Tropical rain forests are most affected by deforestation; in the Amazon nearly 17 percent of the rain forest has been lost. More than half of the forests that once covered the earth are gone, and only about 20 percent of the earth’s original forest remains, according to a University of Michigan study. These forests are located primarily in the Canadian and Alaskan boreal forest, the boreal forest of Russia, and the tropical forest of the northwestern Amazon Basin. The University of Michigan reported that most deforestation took place in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East until the late twentieth century, when tropical locations such as in Latin America, Africa, and Asia experienced accelerated rates of deforestation. Much of the United States, excluding Alaska and parts of the West, experienced heavy deforestation prior to 1920. The country, however, turned this around during the late twentieth century due to reforestation, or the planting of trees. Although, more than 80 percent of the Pacific Northwest continued to be logged in the twenty-first century. Dangers The practice of deforestation presents many dangers to Earth. According to the National Geographic website, forest regions as large as the country of Panama are lost every year because of deforestation. All of the rain forests around the world could vanish in as little as a hundred years because of this practice. Deforestation has many negative effects. It threatens the many species that call the forests and rain forests home. The WWF reported that about 80 percent of the world’s land animals and plants live in forests. Removing forests abolishes these species’ homes, forcing them to relocate or risk dying. They also risk being exposed to other threats such as hunters. Deforestation does not only affect wildlife. Millions of people around the world rely on forests for survival. They use them to hunt, gather, and produce agriculture and products such as rubber. Climate change is another negative effect of deforestation. When trees are cut down, the natural cover over the earth provided by tree limbs and leaves is removed. This natural cover helps regulate temperatures. During the day, the cover protects the earth and wildlife from the sun’s rays and soaring temperatures. At night, the cover holds in the heat to protect the wildlife from freezing temperatures. Without the proper cover, plants and animals are exposed to harmful and extreme temperatures. These extreme temperatures can cause ideal conditions for forest fires, which can lead to forest degradation. Deforestation interrupts the water cycle and causes soil erosion. Without the natural cover, moist forest soil dries out. Trees are important to the water cycle because they return water from the moist soil back into the atmosphere. Without trees, soil erosion is accelerated and once-plentiful forests become dry and barren lands. Deforestation intensifies global warming. According to the WWF, it causes 15 percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Trees absorb greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, and without trees more of these harmful gases are released into the atmosphere. Trees also store carbon in their wood and leaves. Clearing and burning trees releases harmful carbon into the atmosphere. Benefits While the disadvantages of deforestation greatly outweigh the advantages, some benefits do exist. Many forests are cut down for human survival. Farmers cut down forests to have larger areas for planting crops and raising livestock to provide for their families. Many people would go hungry and would not be able to survive without larger areas of farmland. Forests are also cleared to make way for new infrastructure, including roadways, homes, and commercial properties such as shopping malls. This in turn creates more jobs. Logging provides wood and paper products to much of the world. Without logging, people would experience shortages of many products they use each day, thus leading to an increase in the cost of these items. Logging is also a livelihood for many people who would not be able to provide for their families without this industry. Loggers sometimes receive a bad name as a result of those who act irresponsibly and illegally when it comes to deforestation. Forests contain natural resources, including bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, and even diamonds. To get to these precious minerals, the land must be cleared so it can be mined. This creates jobs and then revenue when these minerals are sold. Solutions While not all deforestation is intentional, the majority of it is. The easiest solution would be to stop cutting down trees, but this is not a viable option as timber and land are needed for many industries throughout the world. Strict laws should be put in place and enforced to avoid the destruction of land irresponsibly. The practice of reforestation should also be employed. For every tree that is cut down, a new one should be planted to replace it. Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2013 Gale, Cengage Learning. Source Citation
Posted on: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 23:51:22 +0000
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