Deforestation is removing forests to convert the land to non-forest uses like agriculture. An estimated 18 million acres of forest are lost each year. The main causes of deforestation are clearing land for housing and agriculture, logging for wood, and forest fires. Deforestation disrupts livelihoods and increases flooding and food insecurity. Solutions include governments enacting anti-deforestation policies and reforestation programs, supporting anti-deforestation organizations, using renewable energy instead of wood fuel, and educating others on the importance of forests.
2. DEFORESTATION
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where
the land is thereafter converted to a non-forest use. Examples of
deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban
use.
An estimated 18 million acres (7.3 million hectares) of forest, which is roughly
the size of the country of Panama, are lost each year, according to the United
Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
5. 1. Clearing land to build
housing
Causes of Deforestation
2. Felling trees for wood
Countries resort to deforestation to cope with the
increasing demand for housing brought about by
the growing population.
3. Agriculture
To provide land for food crops such as rice, palm
oil, for rearing cattle etc undisturbed rainforest
areas end up being removed.
Logging, or simply cutting down trees for timber
is one of the main causes of deforestation.
4. Other land uses
โข Land for mining and industrial projects
โข Building dams
4. Forest Fire
Hundreds of trees are lost each year due to fire in
various portion of the world. Fire whether caused
by man or nature results in huge lost of forest.
8. โข Mining require considerable amount of forest land.
โข Apart from this roads and highways have to be built to make
way for Trucks and Equipment.
โข Waste that comes from it pollutes the environment and
effects the nearby species.
Minings
12. โข Deforestation greatly influences many lives
โข In Southeast Asia deforestation contributed to migration and social conflicts
โข In Brazil the poor people are constantly pressured to move from their
villages often to remote plantations where they have to work under
inhumane conditions
โข Destroying sources of medicine
โข Increasing food insecurity
โข Flooding causing loss of many lives
and homes Disruption of
Livelihoods
Economical Effects
Disruption of livelihood
14. 1. Governments
โข Governments are able to enact ambitious domestic and
international forest policies that have wide-ranging effects.
โข Implementation of anti-deforestation policies that require
suppliers and other stakeholders to operate in ways that do not harm
the environment.
Example- National Forest Policy-1988, says that 1/3rd of the country
should be under Forest or Tree Cover. Of which 60% in the mountains and
hill states and 20% in the plains.
15. โข The cutting down of trees must
be countered by replacing old
ones that were cut with young
ones.
Trees are being planted every
year, but they still donโt match the
number of trees that we lost.
โข Mass plantation Programmes
like Van Mohotsabha and
Afforestation Programme
organize by various
organisation.
2. Reforestation
16. โข Governments have the
resources to allow anti-
deforestation organisations to
get their message across and
increase their sphere of
influence.
โข This is a good way to indirectly
solve deforestation.
3. Supporting Organisation
17. โข Corporations are huge consumers of paper. Management
can work towards a paper-free office by shifting towards
email and soft-copies, and also encourage their employees
to recycle.
4. Minimise Paper wastage and Encourage recycling
โข In some places, especially developing countries, wood is
still used as fuel. Use of renewable energy, such as solar,
geothermal and wind energy to help stop deforestation
5. Use of inexhaustible Renewable energy
18. 6. Educating others about the importance of Forest and
its Reforestation
โข Reforestation would facilitate the restoring the ecosystem
services provided by forests including carbon storage, water
cycling and wildlife habitat.
โข Reducing the build up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
โข Rebuilding wildlife habitats.
