Effects of deforestation

Adverse effects of deforestation

Background information

Deforestation is the process of clearing, thinning, or removing large areas of forests or trees, often for purposes such as agriculture, logging, urban development, or mining. The forested land is converted into non-forested land, leading to the loss of trees, plants, and the habitats they support. Deforestation is caused by humans due to the rise of the human population, inadequate land, and the rise in demand for forest resources. Deforestation can cause more harm than good if the practice is not regulated. The following are the effects of deforestation:

Climate change

Trees absorb, store, and utilize carbon (II) oxide, which is one of the greenhouse gases among nitrous oxide, methane, and water vapor. Deforestation contributes to 12–20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. When forests are reduced, plant life also reduces, resulting in a reduction in carbon dioxide absorption. The carbon dioxide molecules absorb and radiate heat energy from the sun, thus causing a rise in global temperatures.

Soil erosion

Tree roots hold soil particles together, hence protecting the soil against agents of soil erosion, i.e., wind and water. The tree canopies act as windbreakers, which reduce the speed of wind and prevent soil erosion by wind. The tree canopies also reduce the speed of raindrops, thus preventing splash erosion. Fallen tree leaves curtail erosion by acting as soil covers.

Impact on wildlife

Deforestation leads to the direct loss of habitat or dwelling places for wild animals. It also leads to a lack of food due to the removal of trees and other vegetation. Deforestation also destroys the breeding places of animals, which reduces their numbers. Deforestation also exposes animals to predators. In other words, deforestation can lead to a reduction in the numbers of a certain species and eventually its extinction. This will greatly affect the biodiversity of ecosystems.

Desertification

Desertification is a type of land degradation in drylands in which biological productivity is lost and fertile areas become arid. Deforestation can cause desertification in that, after clearing land of trees and other vegetation, the land remains bare. When the sun hits directly on the bare soil, the soil will become warmer and drier, and organisms living on or in the soil will move away to avoid the new harshness.

loss of medicinal plants

Forests house thousands of medicinal plant species that can treat different diseases. Destroying these forests will directly lead to the loss of these species.

6. Effect on indigenous people

As large amounts of forests are cleared away, allowing exposed land to deteriorate and the habitats of innumerable species to be destroyed, the Indigenous communities who live there and depend on the forest to sustain their way of life are also under threat.

The loss of forests has an immediate and direct effect on their lifestyle. Many Indigenous communities depend on what the forest has to offer for food, medicine, building materials, and cultural resources. Because many of these communities are located in remote areas in dense forests, the loss of these resources poses many challenges to their health and wellbeing.

Deforestation has human rights implications, particularly for the many Indigenous groups who are frontline communities.

Often, frontline communities have little say in how their local environment is altered by governments and corporations. At the same time, these communities face the most immediate and threatening impacts of environmental degradation and climate change.

The governments of nations with rainforests within their borders often attempt to evict Indigenous tribes before the deforestation begins. This undermines the sovereignty of these Indigenous groups, especially when governments fail to seek their consultation and consent before starting any projects.

Conclusion

Deforestation has a lot of effects, most of which are negative. Despite the increase in human population and the consequent demand for land and forest resources, forests should be protected to enhance sustainable development.