Deforestation

Introduction

Deforestation is a human activity that means clearing forest areas or removing the trees from the land to make the area clear for construction or other works. Deforestation is a bad practice if it is done in a larger manner and without any proper planning. Forests are very important for all forms of life present on the earth. It provides shelter to various animals and other life forms, it purifies the air we breathe, it also provides food materials, fuel materials, etc. It prevents soil erosion and plays a very important role in climate change. The major reasons for deforestation are agricultural land expansion, wood or timber extraction for domestic fuels or charcoal, and construction work including road constructions, building constructions, or urbanisation. Deforestation has a very adverse effect on the water cycle, due to the lack of trees' temperature rises which reduces the transpiration rate further leading to an increase in the energy levels and hence weakening the rain cycle and creating irregular rainfall patterns.

What is Deforestation?

Deforestation is the activity of clearing the forest or land under forest area. Generally, it is a human activity but sometimes due to some natural calamities’ deforestation occurs, including forest fire. By humans, deforestation is done to make or produce space or area for agriculture, animal grazing, or to obtain woods for fuel, manufacturing, and construction. Deforestation has greatly changed or altered the landscape pattern around the world. Nowadays the greatest or the largest amount of deforestation is occurring or taking place in the tropical rainforests for the construction of roads to make access to those areas which were inaccessible earlier. In the tropical region, slash and burn agriculture is the major reason for deforestation. Tropical forests are cleared or destroyed to make the way for logging, cattle grazing, and oil palm and rubber tree plantations.

Importance of Forests

Forest plays a very important role in the sustainability of life on this planet. Some importance of forests are as follows-

• Forests provide us with food materials like fruits, etc.

• Forests provide shelter to many animals and to some communities.

• Forests also help in increasing the percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere(air).

• Forests prevent flood and soil erosion.

• Forests decrease or reduce the chances of global warming.

• Forests improve or enhance soil fertility.

• Forest also provides wood and paper to us.

• It helps to maintain the stability of the weather condition on the earth.

• Forests also help in increasing the level of groundwater.

• Forests provide us with important life-saving ingredients for medicines.

What is the Cause of Deforestation?

Following are some of the causes of deforestation-

• Some natural causes of deforestation include forest fires, floods, hurricanes, and parasites.

• Some human activities like agricultural expansion, mining, cattle grazing, timber extraction, construction, wood, or timber extraction, e.t.c.

• Global warming and climate change are also the leading reasons for deforestation.

Human Activities

There are enormous varieties of human activities that lead to deforestation.

• Conversion of forests into agricultural land or for some specific plantations like pulp, palm, and soy plantations.

• Forests are cleared for construction or infrastructure development by humans.

• Illegal and unsustainable logging is very common across all continents. Illegally cutting off woods are widely purchased or sold in the market.

• Cutting of woods for fuel or charcoal production.

• Mining for the construction of railway lines, power stations, roads, etc.

Natural Calamities

There are some natural calamities or disasters that contribute to deforestation.

• Volcanic eruptions lead to forest fires, floods, earthquakes, and a few other natural calamities that also lead to the destruction of forests.

• Interruption of other animal species or also some parasites is also capable of destroying the biodiversity or forest of any area.

• Fires that are wildfires are also extremely separating in the forests these days which leads to the destruction of the forest and biodiversity.

What is the effect of Deforestation?

Deforestation causes various impacts on the life forms present in the entire world.

• As we know forests are the shelters for varieties of living organisms and it also provides habitat for more than 80% of plants found on land. And deforestation destroys all these plant habitats along with other plant and animal species.

• Deforestation weakens or degrades the soil. The deep roots of the trees in the forest hold the soil very tightly and make it resistant to erosion. That’s why after deforestation the land becomes fragile, vulnerable to landslides, and other natural disasters.

• As we know forests absorb carbon dioxide $\mathrm{(CO_{2})}$ and release oxygen $\mathrm{O_{2}}$ which we breathe. Deforestation destroys forests and hence increases the amount of $\mathrm{CO_{2}}$ in the atmosphere and finally affects climate change.

• Deforestation also impacts the water cycle, as the source of clean or pure water will be lost along with the loss of forests.

Deforestation and the Water Cycle

Forests or trees play a very important role in the water cycle and deforestation disturbs the water cycle.

• With the help of a process called transpiration, trees, and plants manage the moisture content of the atmosphere. Plants or trees absorb the groundwater from their roots and emit them into the atmosphere through their leaves and flowers.

• Plants or trees boost the water holding capacity of the soil with the help of macropores that allows water to penetrate deeper into the soil.

• Dead remains of plants like leaves and twigs also improve the water holding capacity of the soil by increasing its quality.

• Deforestation leads to a lack of or no transpiration that decreases humidity. And disturbs the rainfall pattern and the groundwater levels.

Preventive Measures

Some preventive measures are-

• Everyone should plant a tree instead of cutting trees.

• We should use fewer papers, to reduce the cutting of wood.

• Recycle papers and cardboard as much as possible.

• Reduce the use of palm oil-containing products.

• Instead of burning wood for fuel use natural gases.

• Spread awareness regarding the importance of forestry and the harmful effects of deforestation.

Individual Efforts

Any individual in their daily routine can save forests by taking or practising prevention-

• Use less or the required amount of paper, and more and more work digitally to reduce the use of paper.

• Plant a tree whenever possible for us.

• Purchase recycled objects and recycle them again and again.

• Purchase certified wood products.

• Raise or spread awareness in our locality or surrounding.

• Reduce or prevent the use of palm oil and the products related to palm oil.

Chipko Movement

Chipko movement is the forest conservation movement or the movement against deforestation conducted in India (particularly, in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand) in the 1970s. This movement was initiated by the rural peoples of the village (especially, the women), and aimed to protect the trees and forests from cutting on the order of the government. Chipko Andolan is a non-violent movement where the protestors hug the trees to protect them. This movement is inspired by Gandhi's movement of satyagraha or non-violent resistance. The movement gains momentum and finally succeeds.

Deforestation and Clearcutting

Deforestation and clearcutting are quite different terms. Clear Cutting is done with the aim of further forest regeneration in most cases, which is different from deforestation. In clearcutting, the generation of offspring takes place, which is beneficial for the forest health, because the stronger saplings replace the weaker ones. In deforestation, there is no such planning for the further generation of plants, or it is not beneficial for the forests in any way.

Deforestation Facts

• Till now, around 10 million hectares of forest are lost every single year.

• In total 96% of deforestation occurs in the tropical forest region.

• Due to deforestation, about 4.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide gas are released into the atmosphere in a single year.

• More than 100 countries around the world have pledged to end deforestation by the year 2030.

Conclusion

Deforestation is the activity or practice of clearing the forest or land under forest area. Generally, it is a human activity but sometimes due to some natural calamities’ deforestation occurs, including forest fire (in most cases). Deforestation has greatly changed or altered the landscape pattern around the world. Nowadays the greatest or the largest amount of deforestation is occurring or taking place in the tropical rainforests for the construction of roads to make access to those areas which were inaccessible earlier. In the tropical region, slash and burn agriculture is the major reason for deforestation. Forests are very important for the sustainability of the life forms on the earth.

FAQs

1. What do you mean by deforestation?

Deforestation is the activity or practice of clearing the forest or land under forest area. This can be done both by humans and by nature. Although humans due to their greed cut the forest in large numbers.

2. In the tropical region, what is the main reason for deforestation?

In the tropical region, slash and burn agriculture is the main reason behind deforestation.

3. Mention some importance of forests.

• Forests provide us with food materials like fruits, e.t.c.

• Forests provide shelter to many animals and also to some communities.

• Forests also help in increasing the percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere(air).

• Forests prevent flood and soil erosion.

4. What do you mean by the water cycle?

The water cycle is the continuous process that describes the movement of water on, below, and above the surface of the earth.

5. Who led the Chipko movement?

An environmentalist named Sunderlal Bahuguna led the chipko movement.