Why Does Deforestation Happen

It is at increasingly alarming rates at which deforestation runs right now. More than 80% of the forested areas have been compromised since the year 2003. If you try to take a look at the satellite overviews of deforested sites, you can almost actually see that there is nothing left of the green lands that we richly used to possess.

Now, you can only watch bits and pieces of it floating separately and widely away from each other. Controlling deforestation is a controversial issue these days; and the means of plotting the rate is available for man to use. However, man could be the only key for the future survival of the planet. Without much enthusiasm and care for the remaining part of nature, it is likely to flourish one day without us knowing about it.

The Earth is totally threatened by the loss of nature because it remains to be our number one hope in breathing and living on this planet. Unbeknownst to many, the biggest forests are the homes of carbon and the lungs of the earth. Without them functioning properly, our vital means to live will be lost; and there is no way of taking it back anymore. The support nature gives us should be repaid with utmost care and affection. Man should follow the path to nature restoration before everything else gets out of control.

Simple Ways You Can Do To Preserve Nature

There are complex ways where we can reach our hands out to nature. First, distinguish environmental necessities from luxuries. The latter are the ones that are nice to have but are actually costless. Necessities are the basic things we must have in order to survive. Combat ecological change through knowing what can be eliminated and what should be retained. All that threatens nature, safety of the people, and health should be disregarded.

Simple ways such as saving paper, fixing car fumes, and lessening energy consumption could always be ways to help nature minimize the floating carbon dioxide in the air. These greenhouse gasses are answerable for destroying the ozone, which then is responsible for the UV rays coming in. You see, if we do not take part in the preservation of wildlife, we can lose the battle at any time of the day.

Bigger contributions to nature's rehabilitation are replanting and controlling the degree of damage to the forested lands. Government policies should strictly be implemented and followed. Illegal use of the forest and its natural inhabitants should thus be constrained. If people are governed by laws which threaten them, they will surely back off from any unlawful and illegitimate activity.

The Future Paths

The future path of deforestation actually depends on human answers and decisions. The endpoint is obviously fatal if things continually get out of hand. Various remodeling and rebuilding efforts are on the move right now; and if the trends continue to rise the good way, the scenario can be totally overwhelming.

Government reinforcement should clearly be demonstrated to finally control deforestation rates and to put unlawful programs to an end. Creation of repression and reserves are the measures used to finally stop unauthorized practice. If things go about this way, and if people are eager to follow, the future path of the world can clearly be predicted.

The critical step to controlling deforestation is asking people to join. Without the world's largest number of inhabitants on the move, our drive to halt deforestation could not take place. The support that the government and the citizens can give is the most crucial ingredient to finally say goodbye to such unlawful practice.

The Root Causes of Deforestation

Almost one-third of the earth's land is covered with forest. They play an important role in sustaining life. They house over 60% of the world's biodiversity and provide human beings with many products such as food, medicine, fuel, lumber, paper etc. Aside from the numerous products that can be acquired from the forests, they also play very important ecological roles by stopping erosion, protecting the watershed, controlling stream and river flows, regulating atmospheric conditions, and preventing flooding and landslides.

But because of several reasons, this valuable ecosystem is rapidly disappearing in various parts of the world. Deforestation rates have increased since the 1980s. To date, according to the estimate given by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, a group responsible for the forests, deforestation rates have accelerated during the 1990s translating to 10.14 million hectares of denuded forests from 1990-2000 and to 10.4 million hectares in the period of 2000-2005.

Deforestation and forest degradation occur in response to policy, market and institutional signals. It is the result of the interaction of many environmental, economic, social, cultural and political conditions in any given region.

There are two main causes of deforestation. The primary and most common reasons for deforestation are known as the direct causes. Logging, overpopulation, urbanization, dam construction etc are under direct causes. The other main cause of deforestation is known as natural causes since they are brought by the Mother Nature.

Rapid population growth has resulted to the conversion of forest areas to non-forest lands for settlement and farming. Together with this is urbanization and residential area expansion. This takes a significant loss of forest lands both for harvesting forest products as more people need more lumber to build their houses and for developing the greater area their houses, malls, business centers will be built.

An increase in population also means an increase in produce consumption. Thus, rainforests are destroyed and converted to cattle pasture to supply the burgeoning demand for meat. In Central America, almost half of the rainforests have been slashed and burned for cattle farming in order comply with foreign demands. Twenty-five per cent of the Amazon's forests have also been destroyed for cattle ranches.

Lack of government legislation for land reforms has also cleared the forest especially in developing countries like of the South East Asian nations. People in that region are among the poorest in the world and are desperate for a piece of land. Unequal distribution of resources has led these people to find their way to exploit the forests.

Another reason that denudes the forest is exploitative economic development schemes and the powerlessness of government to safeguard its resources. Poor countries in their attempt to increase their revenues are in a way exploiting their resources like the forests. Timber is exported to reduce the national debt. Countries rich in mineral resources open their doors to multinational mining corporations that clear the forests as they go with their operations. The government especially those belonging in the Third World cannot curb commercial logging and implement a total log ban in exchange to higher foreign exchange rates. Development projects like dams, roads, and airports contracted by the government also cause deforestation.

While most causes of deforestation occur due to human activities, there are uncontrolled causes of deforestation such as forest fires, volcanic eruption, and typhoon.

Forest fires are started by lightning, and strong winds help to spread the flames. Drought in the forest has increased the amount of flammable bush and debris on the forest floor. Forest fires destroy immeasurable amount of valuable timber. They kill not only trees but also other living things.

Meanwhile, volcanic eruption is one of the several natural forces capable of causing damage to forests. The ashes emitted during the eruption coat tree leaves, which then interfere with photosynthesis. Animal population is also devastated. The organisms that survive have to cope with the changed habitat and reduced food supplies.

Last is typhoon. These are violent storms when fierce winds destroy much of the island's rain forest.

People can only hope that the uncontrollable forces causing deforestation would not do great damage. However, right decisions and good actions must be taken to address the problems brought by the other reasons of deforestation where the cause and the end result is at the hands of the people.

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Tropical Deforestation It's Destroying The Earth

Tropical forests constitute about 7% of the earth’s land area; and about 90% of it has already been destroyed. Can you imagine what the world would be like if all untouched areas of the earth will be totally depleted? A number of problems could definitely arise, from long term ailments to environmental crisis and even cultural problems. Truly, the dilemma that humans cause nature will result to a wide variety of far greater civilization troubles.

Although such things are hard to realize presently, all will be aware of it if the burden becomes thicker and heavier through time. Hence, when all else is still changeable in tropical deforestation, people should be one in taking care of nature and nourishing it rather than slowly parasitizing its values.

Perhaps the one thing that's difficult to change in people is the attitude. They only regret when everything becomes inevitable already. If changes could be made somehow, then there would be likely chances of world and population survival in the coming generations ahead. Remember, there are millions of people to be born and would inhabit the earth after us. Making the world a better place for them to live in could very well be the best gift that we could offer.

Destruction Through Tropical Deforestation

Human doings have considerably distorted the natural dissemination of forests through history. Tropical deforestation and habitat annihilation is relentlessly crippling the forest ecosystem. Forests are being destroyed at a rate faster than you can ever imagine; and with habitant obliteration comes the demise of species too.

Apart from all those mentioned, tropical deforestation makes up for the reason why the cooling system of the earth around its equator has been disrupted. Climate changes have been noticed to cover all of the earth due to the accelerating number of tropical forest damage. Fall of two or more trees have been proven to cause much effects on the earth's environment and atmosphere as well. This goes to show how important it is to preserve whatever natural resources we have for the betterment of our world.

People may have never thought that the scattered tropical forests are the lungs of our world. They may simply think of them as absorbers of Carbon Dioxide; but no, they are mainly the chief organs working in the earth to put off and eliminate any form of toxics that comes in. These hidden facts are unknown to many and should be brought up in people's minds so they can find more means for the earth's longer years of survival.

Ways Of Halting Destruction

The only known way to halt the destruction of tropical forests is to stop all activities which lead to the act. Hence, lawful practices should be strictly provided and shall bow on no one. Even in tropical deforestation, there is no one above the law. Conscientiousness should also run from every individual in this planet; without such, people will keep on destroying our natural environment.

We also need honest and responsible people to lead our world in the fight against biologic killing. Again, not one person can be exempted from the rules which only aim to safeguard our future and the coming generations as well.

The means of stopping tropical deforestation and healing the earth are definitely huge steps to carry on; it needs people who are dependable and devoted to nature in every way possible. Unless this consciousness seeps through our veins, there is definitely no other way to save earth.

The Global Warming and Deforestation

Global warming has serious consequences to the life of earth. The past few years has witnessed a rise in the levels of the seas and increase in the overall temperature of the planet. One of the main causes of this serious threat can be attributed to deforestation. Mankind has been cutting trees indiscriminately for his own use.

Tremendous urbanization has reduced the overall forest coverage in the world. We all know that how much trees are necessary for maintaining the ecological balance of the earth. Trees help in extracting water from the soil, and thereby releasing this moisture into the air. Indiscriminate felling of trees results in the disturbances of water cycle resulting in a drier atmosphere. Deforestation increases not just the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, but also other greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide and methane lock the atmospheric heat and ultimately cause an increase in the atmospheric temperature.

Deforestation not only causes global warming, but it also has serious implications on the Earth's bio-diversity. Many of the species in the earth are dependent on plants and trees for food. Cutting of trees will remove their source of food gradually and subsequently leading towards extinction of variety of species living in earth.

Deforestation is seen as the prime concern for environmentalists and they have suggested that unless quick measures are not taken to arrest this problem, it would further lead to devastating effects on Earth.

We often complain about extreme weather conditions, or climate change. However, instead of cribbing, we must ensure that deforestation is stopped and plantation is given due importance. This will help to reverse some of the adverse effects of deforestation and also control the alarming effects of global warming.

About Author:
Kum Martin is an online leading expert in environmental and energy conservation. He also offers top quality articles like:
Global Warming Definition, Major Greenhouse Gases

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Why Rainforest Deforestation Must Stop

Rainforest deforestation is as old as civilization. Whenever cities have needed more fuel and more space they just go and chop down a piece of forest. This has had serious consequences in the past. The Middle East and Sahara desert were once heavily forested areas. They became desert at the hand of man. However until recently deforestation only had local impacts, it was never a global issue.

Civilization has expanded to the point now where there is no more space on this planet left to grow into. There are no new continents to go and discover. Our penchant for growth means we are zeroing in on the last remaining rainforests for timber and space for more farmland.

This is a serious problem for the future of the earth's biosphere and the integrity of the ecosystems that dwell in it. If we keep destroying our last remaining rainforests the water cycle will be disrupted, farmland will become unproductive and the land will become an eroded desert.

The Role Of The Rainforest

Rainforests act as a water filter. They prevent the groundwater from becoming too salty by keeping the salts deep in the earth. When the rainforest in razed the salts rise to the surface. This makes water undrinkable and prevents crops from growing in fields.

Many timber companies that cut down old growth forests justify their actions be claiming that replanting new trees mitigates the damage. But reseeded saplings cannot replace a rainforest. They cannot perform the same functions. They have less leaf surface area than rainforest trees and because they lack diversity they are extremely vulnerable to infection.

A Deep Ecological Attitude Towards Rainforests

Conventional ecological thinking would argue that we must save the rainforests because they are crucial to human survival. That is true. But deep ecological thinking would go further to say that these are not our forests in the first place.

Humans do not own the world or own the forests. It is not our prerogative to decide what their fate is. Rainforests are home to millions of plant and animal species. They deserve the right to flourish and nothing gives us the right to take that away from them.

Rainforest deforestation has to stop for the good of the biosphere and so humans can stop destroying creation and take their place as a functional member of the community of life.

About The Author: Thomas is a writer whose passion is Deep Ecology. This is a world-view that sees a value in nature regardless of its usefulness to humans. It is partly about saving the world but primarily about creating a better place for humans to live. Living as part of the community of life and not apart from it is a much richer and more satisfying way of life. But in order to live as part of the community we have to stop destroying the rest of life through rainforest deforestation and other means. We have to let the rest of life flourish.

For more free articles, videos, books and interviews visit Deep Ecology Hub.

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Deforestation Solutions And It's Problems

The responsibility of safeguarding our magnificent earth lies in the hands of its populace. Needless to say, we as humans are accountable for preserving our planet. Our actions do major impacts on the natural world; our choices can either revive our Earth or totally annihilate it. The many forested lands are being shattered all over the world, and we must make moves to further pursue the deforestation solutions.

Deforestation is in fact an inescapable problem; it should therefore be addressed to and not put aside. Solutions are needed for this kind of problem if we want to stay away from its consequences. Although smaller forests are but a speck of soil in contrast to the whole land mass of the globe, there is a likelihood that the entire world might one day end up like a wasted place if deforestation persists without fervent actions taken against it.

The False Solutions At Hand

In the past, various solutions have been taken account to for further experiments against what could bring deforestation down. However, some of the solutions failed and some progressed, and here is the list of what should not be considered as a problem solving equation for one of the world's biggest threats: Sustainable Commercial Logging Options, Tropical Forestry Action Plan, Limits of Reserve Strategies, and International Biodiversity Program.

The Sustainable Commercial Logging Options has been considered negligible by most of our environmentalists. Its key concept of permitting logging at a minimal rate resulted to more deforestation events all over the world. People did not seem to listen or to participate in such program since aggressive prohibition of logging was not made.

Second, the TFAP plan which was based on a concept that deforestation problems were due to poverty did not work out as well. Timber harvest was assumed by TFAP to have lifted poverty problems, which only drove all the more to the evils of deforestation.

Strict protective measures to preserve earth through the third plan are only a second and subsidiary form of healing. Instead of dealing directly with the problem, it tends to sidetrack by supporting only one of its branches. What should be done is to have the greatest protection available for our depleted rainforests. In this way, direct controlling of the problem is needed.

The fourth and the last failed plan is International Biodiversity Program which only addresses to the underlying causes of deforestation and not the direct ones. Just like TFAP, such plans also came to end without showing good results.

The Sensible Solutions Toward Deforestation Eradication

Like the false solutions, the world also came up with realistic problem solving ideas which would help in the betterment of the deforestation problems. Some of which include: recognizing the presence of the indigenous people as the original inhabitants of all rainforests over the Earth.

Non-timber values which explain to people that other crops or products can be means of lumber substitute, the impact of debt burden to a country and how the nation can ask for help from the world bank; and lastly, putting an end to over consumption of forest made products.

Whichever deforestation solutions we use, the only thing that actually matters is how the humans react to it. If they give much time and effort for the world's conservation, then the possibilities of reaching that goal would definitely be high.

However, as human concern declines, the rate of deforestation correspondingly grows higher.

Rainforest Deforestation and Its Impact

As the world population reaches a crescendo, the need for wood in various forms has only increased. Unfortunately, the naturally occurring wood available in rainforests across the world is becoming a victim of our needs. As the world population reaches a crescendo, the deforestation of naturally occurring woodlands are falling prey to human greed. But more than ever before, rainforest deforestation is impacting world climate and becoming a huge concern for the future of the earth. Let's find out what deforestation is, why it occurs, and how it impacts the global climate.

What is deforestation?

When forests that have been created naturally are cut down or burnt by humans in order to use the wood for various purposes, the process is known as deforestation. Sometimes, this process occurs naturally as well. However, most of the times, this is the handiwork of man. Some of the biggest reserves of wood are the Amazon Rainforests in Brazil, the Congo Basin Forests in Africa, and the Indonesian Rainforest in South East Asia. Deforestation can even be caused by soil erosion or naturally occurring jungle fires.

Why does deforestation happen?

There are many reasons for rainforest deforestation. Some of the most common and well-known reasons for this include:

- Fuel: trees or the charcoal derived from them is used as fuel. Oftentimes, charcoal is sold in the market as an alternate means of fuel in many countries. Tree branches are also cut, dried, and used as fuel for cooking etc.

- Land use: For many years, human beings have been cutting down trees in order to clear land so that they can use it as pastures for their livestock. As the human population increases, so does the need to feed livestock. Unfortunately, more and more trees are cut to make way for greener pastures for feeding cows, goats, sheep etc.

- Settlements: As habitable land becomes dearer and dearer, people need cheaper land options for settling down. Rainforests present a wonderful opportunity and therefore, people cut down trees to make way for settlements. These trees are removed without proper care and complete apathy for reforestation.

How deforestation impacts global environment?

As the green cover gets destroyed, the fragile ecosystems get destroyed or become imbalanced. Rainforest deforestation also leads to damaged habitats, loss of biodiversity, imbalance in the microenvironment and aridity. Regions that are deforested get affected by soil erosion and soon than later turn in wastelands. It becomes very difficult for this land to be restored back to its former self. Over the years, these wastelands can even become deserts.

Deforestation also leads to extinction of rare trees, animals, insects, flowers and other naturally occurring things. An ongoing issue in many countries, deforestation must be stopped in order to combat their devastating effects on the global climatic conditions.

While there are many other reasons besides population growth for rainforest deforestation, we must remember that deforestation plays a significant role in shaping the global geography and climate and for this reason alone it must be curbed and combated.

Kelly Hunter owns and operates http://www.home-weather-station.org and writes about Home Weather Stations devices.

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