We explain what deforestation is and what its causes are. We also explain its characteristics and main consequences.
Deforestation destroys ecosystems and alters the planet’s water cycle.
What is deforestation?
Deforestation is the destruction of native forests as a result of human action.This process leads to irreversible loss of biodiversity, as well as the alteration of regional and global hydrological and climatic cycles.
The history of deforestation dates back to ancestral practices of communities that depended on agriculture for their survival. That is why they advanced on forested areas to be able to produce their crops. However, today, the arrival of modern technologies and the growing demand for wood and agricultural products on a large scale have deepened the Forest exploitation at unprecedented levels.
The Causes Deforestation causes include the expansion of agriculture and livestock farming, the indiscriminate felling of trees for wood and paper, fires and the conversion of forest lands into urban areas.
The consequences Deforestation is linked to biodiversity loss, soil erosion, disruption of regional climate patterns, reduced oxygen production and greenhouse gas emissions. This not only threatens ecological stability, but also directly impacts the quality of life of human communities that depend on forests for their survival.
Deforestation should not be confused with forestry activity. Deforestation refers to the loss of native forests and constitutes an environmental problem, while forestry activity occurs in forests that are planted to be later exploited economically. Forestry activity conceives forests as a crop: it plants trees, waits for them to grow and then cuts them down for use. This economic activity is essential for industrial production in various countries and does not constitute an environmental problem.
See also: Ecological footprint
Characteristics of deforestation
Deforestation has the following characteristics:
- It is defined as the destruction of native forests by human actions.
- It has existed for centuries, but has accelerated noticeably in the last 150 years.
- The expansion of the agricultural frontier is its main cause at a global level.
- Its consequences include the loss of biodiversity and the alteration of regional and global climate patterns.
- Environmental protection laws are the most effective measures that governments have to combat it.
Causes of deforestation
Forest fires destroy large areas of forest in a short period of time.
Deforestation represents an environmental challenge for authorities around the world. The loss of forests that host ecosystems and biodiversity and provide essential environmental services for life compromises the integrity of natural balances and cycles on Earth.
The main causes of deforestation are:
- The expansion of agricultural and livestock activitymotivated by growing food demand and unsustainable agricultural practices.
- Loggingmainly for the use of the timber industry and the generation of firewood for fuel.
- The development and expansion of citieswhich advance on forest surfaces when they need to grow.
- The forest fireswhich are almost always generated intentionally as a way of destroying large areas of forest in a short period of time.
1. The expansion of the agricultural frontier
The expansion of the agricultural frontier is the main cause of deforestation.
The expansion of the agricultural frontier is the main cause of deforestation worldwide. This process has experienced a notable increase with the development of intensive agricultural practices and the globalization of food production.
The transformation of forests into croplands not only causes the loss of biodiversity, but also contributes to the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide and reduced oxygen production.
Furthermore, trees have a much higher water absorption capacity than crops, so the replacement of forested areas with agriculture also contributes to increasing the intensity of flooding.
2. The use of wood
The increasing global demand for wood and its unsustainable exploitation threaten the world’s forested areas. Historically, this activity has been an important economic driver, but lack of regulation and overexploitation have led to the loss of large amounts of forests in recent decades.
Currently, deforestation for wood is taking place mainly in peripheral countries, especially in rural areas that do not have access to basic services such as natural gas. For this reason, people must use trees to obtain firewood for cooking and heating.
3. Urban expansion
Deforestation due to urbanization occurs in countries with high population density.
The expansion of cities contributes to deforestation. As cities grow outwards, they need more and more space to allow them to extend their urban infrastructure. Thus, the expansion of streets, avenues, routes and neighbourhoods often leads to the loss of forests.
For this reason, cities sometimes plan their expansion to have the least possible environmental impact. When this does not happen, it negatively affects forests, not only due to the loss of tree cover, but also due to the alteration of habitats, ecosystems and natural cycles in each region.
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4. Forest fires
The vast majority of forest fires have human causes.
Forest fires can occur for three reasons:
- NaturallyThey occur mainly during periods of drought and high temperatures. Heat causes a fire to start and the lack of humidity contributes to the spread of the fire. They are very rare.
- By accidental human actionThey are caused by human carelessness. People sometimes start a fire unintentionally by lighting a fire in a campsite or in a very dry place. They are rare.
- By intentional human action. Most forest fires are caused by deliberate actions of people, who start a fire in a forest with the intention of burning it. It is a quick and inexpensive way to deforest large areas of forest in order to then be able to economically use those lands.
Consequences of deforestation
Due to deforestation, many species lose their ecosystems.
The main consequences of deforestation are the loss of biodiversity, a greater occurrence and intensity of floods and an increase in the global greenhouse effect.
1. Loss of biodiversity
Forests are home to a great diversity of animal and plant species, many of which directly depend on these ecosystems for their survival. The loss of forest areas causes the degradation and fragmentation of habitats, leading to a decrease in the complexity of ecosystems, the death of animals and the extinction of species.
2. Greater occurrence and intensity of floods
The increased occurrence and intensity of floods and landslides is another direct consequence of deforestation. Forests play a crucial role in regulating the hydrological cycle by gradually absorbing water. Massive tree removal reduces the soil’s water retention capacity, which increases surface runoff and the likelihood of flooding.
In addition, deforestation causes the soil to lose stability, which increases the frequency and magnitude of landslides and avalanches in mountainous areas that were previously protected by trees.
3. Increase in the greenhouse effect
Forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) during photosynthesis and producing oxygen. The loss of forests results in the massive release of carbon into the atmosphere, which intensifies the greenhouse effect and contributes to climate change.
For this reason, international environmental agreements suggest that countries implement public policies that protect native forests as a way to contribute to mitigating the increase in global temperature and the consequences of climate change.
Measures against deforestation
Some countries like Costa Rica and Argentina have laws that protect their native forests.
Some measures that States can adopt to protect their native forests include:
- Environmental protection laws. Some countries have laws that prohibit deforestation in certain areas. In other cases, deforestation is permitted, but requires authorization from the State and is only authorized after carrying out an environmental impact study.
- Payments for environmental services. Some States pay landowners with forested areas to conserve those forests and the environmental benefits they offer.
- Implementation of protected natural areas. The creation of protected natural areas, such as national parks or nature reserves, contributes to the ecosystem maintenance of forests and forest areas.
- Restoration and reforestation programs. On some occasions, States intervene in degraded forests to restore and reforest them. In these cases, we seek to plant trees that are native to the area to avoid incorporating exotic species that could affect the dynamics and ecosystem cycles of the forests.
- Environmental education. The purpose of environmental education programs is to inform and raise awareness among the population, public officials and businessmen about the importance of forests for the natural dynamics of the planet.
Difference between deforestation and forest degradation. Forest degradation is the reduction or destruction of some specific aspects of the forest, but not the forest as a whole. Some of its causes are pests or disease outbreaks that affect only one species, or the exploitation by humans of some specific resources, which alters the dynamics and natural cycles of forests. Although degradation is not as serious as deforestation, it also has negative effects on biodiversity and contributes to climate change.
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