WHAT IS DEFORESTATION?
Deforestation can be defined as the large-scale removal of trees from forests (or other lands)
for the facilitation of human activities. It is a serious environmental concern since it can result
in the loss of biodiversity, damage to natural habitats, disturbances in the water cycle, and
soil erosion. Deforestation is also a contributor to climate change and global warming.
WHY ARE FOREST IMPORTANT?
Forests combat climate change by absorbing greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide)
and acting as a carbon storehouse.
They are a source of oxygen, food, clean water, and medicine.
They play a vital role in the water cycle – they work to add water to the atmosphere via the
process of transpiration.
Forests help mitigate the disastrous effects of floods by acting as a floodwater sink.
Therefore, deforestation also increases the vulnerability of the landmass to certain natural
calamities.
The large mass of trees in forest areas combats soil erosion by providing mechanical
support to the soil.
Forests are home to over 50% of all known species on the planet. They account for over
80% of the land-based biodiversity. Globally, forests are home to approximately
30,00,00,000 human beings.
They are also a source of raw material for many commercially important products such as
paper, wood, and fabric.
Approximately 1.6 billion jobs are forest-dependent. Forests also account for approximately
1% of the world’s GDP (gross domestic product).
THE DATA BEHIND
DEFORESTATION
Forests cover approximately 31% of the total land surface of the Earth.
Tropical forests harbour over half of all land-based animal and plant species in the world.
Between the years 2000 and 2012, over 568 million acres of forest have been claimed by
deforestation.
Approximately 9 million acres of virgin tropical forest were cut down in the year 2018.
The Amazon rainforest, which is the source of 20% of the world’s oxygen supply, loses
approximately 1.32 acres of its area every minute due to deforestation.
CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION
What are the Human Activities that Cause Deforestation?
The primary anthropogenic activities (human activities) that contribute to
deforestation include:
Agriculture – small-scale and large-scale farming
Logging – cutting of trees for use as raw material
Mining and urban expansion – clearing of forest area for the construction of infrastructure.
According to the secretariat of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change), agriculture is the root cause of 80% of deforestation. Logging
accounts for another 14% and the cutting of trees for use as wood fuel account for
5%. A pie-chart detailing the driving cause of the deforestation of tropical forests
between the years 2000 and 2005 is provided below :-
Slash-and-burn agriculture is one of the most destructive forms of agriculture that
results in large-scale deforestation. It involves the burning of a large area of forest
land and the subsequent plantation of crops in the same soil (which is now fertilized
by the ashes of the burnt trees). Despite the practice being abandoned by several
developed countries, it is still followed in some Southeast Asian countries. Illegal
logging, which accounts for approximately 80% of all logging activities, involves the
harvesting and sale of timber in violation of the law. Corrupt government officials may
accept bribes from illegal loggers and offer access to protected forest areas in return.
Therefore, corruption can be viewed as an indirect cause of deforestation.
What are the Secondary Factors that Contribute to
Deforestation?
Overpopulation and population growth increase the requirement for several resources
such as food and infrastructure. These requirements can, directly or indirectly, result
in deforestation. For example, a huge explosion in the population of a city can result in
the deforestation of the surrounding area for:
The construction of homes and other buildings.
Agriculture (to meet the increased demand for food).
The construction of roads, dams, and other infrastructure.
Military conflicts among humans can also result in deforestation. For example, the U.S.
military made extensive use of Agent Orange (a defoliant that causes the leaves of
trees to wither and fall off) during the Vietnam War (1955 – 1975).
Can Deforestation Occur due to Natural Causes?
In some relatively rare cases, the deforestation of forest areas can be traced to
natural causes. For example, volcanic eruptions can burn away the forest lands
surrounding the volcano. Other examples of natural deforestation include:
Destruction of forests due to hurricanes, floods, and other natural calamities.
Invasion of the forest ecosystem by parasites that destroy trees.
Forest fires are sparked by lightning and other natural phenomena.
It is important to note that natural factors have a very small stake in the overall
deforestation of the Earth’s land surface (anthropogenic factors account for almost all
of it).