Deforestation simply means the action of cutting down trees. Throughout history and modern times, trees have been cut down randomly to make space for various reasons. Some of them are- agriculture and animal grazing, obtaining wood for fuel, manufacturing, and construction. Forests consist of more than 30% of the land surface. Forests produce oxygen (O2) and absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), and are home to many species. We get food, medicine, and fuel from the forest which fulfills the needs of more than 1 billion people.
At present tropical areas are facing the highest amount of deforestation. Every day people are building new roads through the forest. The Earth has lost about 10% of its tropical trees. And in 2019 almost 47000 square miles of forest had been destroyed. According to the World Bank, almost 10 million square kilometers of forest have been destroyed since the 20th century. In the last 25 years, forests bigger than the size of South Africa have been eliminated. Every year an area the same size as Switzerland is lost to deforestation. Since forest land is very important thus deforestation endangers the environment.
World’s biodiversity is greatly hampered by deforestation. Various animals and plants reside in tropical rainforests. If deforestation continues then these species will lose their habitat and they might get extinct. Already many species have got extinct due to deforestation. Trees also protect us from soil erosion, storm as well as other disasters. In a country like Bangladesh, the Sundarbans have protected us in times of different storms, cyclones, etc. Forest fire is also significantly responsible for deforestation. In recent times the world has faced some massive forest fires.
According to statistics, more than 6% of living organisms reside in the tropical forests of New Guinea. If these forest areas get cleared then they will lose their habitat. When forests are destroyed, ecosystems are bound to be hampered.
Climate change is one of the aftermaths of deforestation. We know that trees absorb carbon-di-oxide and emit oxygen. Decreased amounts of trees result in an increased amount of carbon dioxide. The excess amount of CO2 traps extra heat and makes our earth warmer. This phenomenon is known as global warming. Also, all living organisms depend on oxygen. And the only source of it is trees.
Moreover, Earth’s freshwater comes from forested watersheds. This means trees have an important linkage with people’s water sources. Deforestation may compromise the quality of drinking water as well.
There are certain methods by which we can reduce the effects of deforestation. One of them is Increasing the area of forest plantations. Increasing the area of forest plantations is a popular method. In this method, vacant or unused lands are used to plant trees. Besides, we can also plant trees along roads, railway tracts, contours, avenues, boundaries, and land not suitable for agricultural production. Planting trees outside forest areas will reduce the pressure on forests for timber and fuelwood demands. Also, the deforested areas can again be reforested.
Considering global warming, reliance on trees, and natural disasters we all need to decrease deforestation and take the necessary initiative to increase afforestation. Otherwise, the Earth may become uninhabitable.
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HRIDAM ROSHAN PAUL
Intern, Content Writing Department
YSSE