WHAT IS DEFORESTATION?
Through the years, environmentalists have been constantly raising concerns over the rate at which forests around the world are depleting. Deforestation is one problem the world has been trying to resolve in ages.
Deforestation is the process of clearing hectares of forests and converting the area into arable land, wasteland, industrial site or urban center. In the ancient times, much of the earth's land surface had been covered by forests. But through the years, there have been so many activities for the progression of societies. Agriculture has to be boosted because the growing population needs more food. Land has to be converted into residential lots where people could build shelters. Forests also had to be sacrificed for infrastructure. Much of today's very progressive business and transport centers are located in areas that were once forested. Some forests were converted into large airports or urban centers. As for the far-away forests, governments are deforesting them to give way to the establishment of wastelands that would store the rapidly growing urban wastes. Forests are considered the top choice for this purpose.
Deforestation and industrialization
Industrialization and deforestation are different concepts, but are interrelated. Without deforestation, it would not be possible to facilitate industrialization. Such was the case when the developed worlds braced industrialization in the middle of the 20th century. During that period, facilities for manufacturing have sprouted rapidly in different areas. Because forests were basically not owned by anyone at that time and no legislations were set to protect them, businesses took the opportunity to slash and burn the forests so they could own their own land where the factories are to be established. During those times, natives and villagers braced the idea of deforestation because businesses promised employment. Concerns about the depletion of forests and environmental concerns were not yet raised by then. Thus, industrialization was spurred at the expense of forests. Now, forests make up very minimal portions of land surfaces. Industries have become giants and are accelerating the overall depletion of the global environment.
Deforestation and agriculture
Cultivation of crops was the original purpose of deforestation. People had primarily slashed and burned forests so they could convert the forested land into areas where they could plant rice, corn, and other staple crops. You would be amazed at how much forest covers had been destroyed by people just so they could cultivate more crops. Through the years, agriculture has been increasingly becoming reliant to deforestation. Every year, population across the world has been rapidly growing. Governments have been alarmed at how fast the rate of birth is because there are other concerns coming with that problem. As populations grow, the need for food is becoming more and more tight. Global agriculture has not been able to produce enough produce to feed all the people. So, there has been a need to ramp up production. That calls for more land to cultivate. To be able to sustain human lives, forests had to be sacrificed. And so deforestation has once again served as a fast solution to man's growing problems.
Climate change
Global climates are changing. That is because through the years, people have been doing activities that harm the environment. Scientific studies have established that ozone in the atmosphere has been depleting because of the increasing volume of pollutants going to the atmosphere. It has also been established that deforestation has contributed to the current global warming. Forests help in the reduction of carbon monoxide in the air. So, the less forests there are, the more carbon monoxide reaches the atmosphere. Aside from climate change, landslides and flash floods are also attributed to deforestation. Because there are not much enough trees to absorb rainfall in the land anymore, water from rain just flows through the surface and further denudes land.
The Purpose of Deforestation
With the rise in population there is also the need for the acquisition of more land. Destroying forests to make use of the rich and natural resources is one of the main reasons why we see deforestation occurring all over the world today. Besides, with the rising number of human population, it’s obvious forests are cleared to make way for human settlement. With the increase in the usage of paper and products made from wood, more trees are felled every year. This only leads to a rapid decline of the forest cover. Deforestation also occurs due to agricultural expansion and increasing demands for fuel. Deforestation has further triggered the greenhouse effect. With the increasing demands for wood, humans are now facing a crisis situation and one needs to seriously think about saving the rainforests.
Slash and Burn Agriculture
One of the culprits is slash and burn agriculture. What usually happens is that a farmer decides to plant crops and raise livestock. The trees are cut to size and subsequently burned. No new trees are planted and instead crops and animals are raised there. In poor countries, the problems are compounded. The lack of modern tools and utilities make farming difficult. When the denuded land is no longer able to provide quality fruits and vegetables, the farmer moves on to the next rainforest. That is why deforestation happens on such a large scale. After one denuded land has been rendered useless, the other ones become the next targets.
Developing Real Estate and Resorts
As more and more people move to the suburbs, the demand for living space increases. Developers looking to make a profit will mow down these areas. Everyday thousands of acres of rainforest are destroyed to make way for buildings, condominiums and hotel resorts. Unlike the farmer, these companies use heavy equipment. With bulldozers, tractors and the like, they are able to decimate rainforests quickly. One reason why deforestation happens widely is that companies are fighting for profit. The result is a race to destroy rainforests and construct houses.
Illegal Logging
In some countries, selective logging is employed. This means only certain tree species may be cut down. In some areas however, logging takes place everywhere. People do this because the business is very profitable. Demand for wood furniture and ornaments are still high. Even though selective logging is allowed, illegal logging is more profitable.
