The Effects of
Deforestation on
the Environment
By Kirsty Anderson
1
Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Title Page
Contents
Plan
What is Deforestation?
Why is it Happening?
How is it Affecting the Environment?
Solving the Problem
Evaluation
Bibliography
2
Plan
Title
The Effects of Deforestation on the Environment
Aim
To investigate what problems the environment is facing from Deforestation and
what is being done to prevent the these problems occurring.
Intended Sources of Information
Internet, National Geographic Channel, Books
Timelines
200 Word Summary - 30th September
Power point - 7th October
Final Report - 18th November
3
What is Deforestation?
Deforestation is “one of the most pressing land-use problems” – The World
Resources Institute. It is the removal of a forest for which, the land is used for
housing or converted into farms. It is clearing the world’s forests to a huge scale
and damaging a lot of land. The National Geographical Channel claims “If no
solutions were made, the rainforests would all disappear in 100 years at the
current rate of Deforestation.”
4
Why is it Happening?
There are many reasons why deforestation is happening every day. One of the
main reasons is for money. The World’s population is growing so rapidly, certain
areas are being overpopulated that forests are being destroyed and land is being
converted into housing. Wood is also needed for furniture and resources such as
paper. Illegal logging by itself, according to The Nature Conservancy, is
responsible for the loss of more than 32 million acres of our planet’s natural
forests. Land is also used for farming and keeping livestock which goes back to
our main reason money and also food.
Not all deforestation is for intentional purposes, natural factors are another cause.
Animals overgrazing prevent young trees from growing and bushfires which are
very common in Australia, burn a large scale of the forest. Bushfires are a part of
the forest life cycle therefore they can be good for the soil and help certain seeds
germinate and grow.
Overgrazing
Housing
Farms
Bushfires
5
How is it Affecting the
Environment?
Deforestation causes serious environmental problems. Lots of species of animals
and plants live in the forests and depend on the trees and soil for surviving. By
destroying habitats, certain species are facing extinction. “It has been estimated
that we are losing 137 plants, animal and insect species every single day due to
rainforest deforestation, which equates to 50,000 species a year.” – Rain tree
Nutrition Website. Rainforest plants are also important for medicine.
Rainforest Endangered
Species
Country
Plants
Keruing
Alerce tree
Juniper
Decumbant pine
Lechose tree
Prickly pear cactus
Indonesia
Chile
Mexico
Mexico
Ecuador
Ecuador
Animals
African Elephant
Proboscis monkey
Galapagos penguin
Kenya
Indonesia
Ecuador
Another problem caused by deforestation is soil degradation, which means it has
a loss in quality. Extreme weather conditions such as heavy rainfall and high sun
exposure results in the soil’s nutrients being washed away or denatured making it
very rich and fertile.
The destruction of forests also has an effect on climate change. This because
when the trees are burned or logged, carbon is released into the atmosphere
which is turned into Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. In 2007, the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change showed that deforestation
contributes 17.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the entire
world transport system. The earth’s water cycle is also affected by the climate
change as the water vapour transferred from the trees to the atmosphere
stimulates rainfall whilst the roots reduce the risks of floods and drought by
6
storing water and making a thick layer of moist with the top layer of soil. Global
warming results from climate change causing forest fires which then release
more carbon starting the cycle to start up again.
The Rainforest holds homes for many tribal families and provides them with food,
wood, textiles and medicine for a good livelihood. According to the UN Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO), 60 million indigenous people live within tropical
rainforests.
7
Solving the Problem
There is an increasing interest in saving the rainforests as more and more
problems are arising from deforestation. The rainforests are the most important
ecosystem in the world as they contain the most natural resources which support
humanity. Recycling was introduced to maintain these resources better and
prevent running out of them. Companies are making an impact by introducing
zero-deforestation policies that require suppliers to produce commodities such as
timber, beef, soy, palm oil and paper in a way that has a minimal impact on
rainforests.
Local communities are being set up to protect the forests and almost 10% of the
world’s managed forests are governed by them. Countries have started
reforestation to create a balancing plan of planting trees to replace each tree
which has been torn down. Legislations are also been made by governments
making cutting down trees in certain areas a crime. Sanctuaries are being built
around the world to not only just save the trees but to protect the species of
wildlife living in them.
Preserving forest areas benefits the entire planet and there is now a growing
acceptance among the communities to leave forests standing.
8
Evaluation
I found researching deforestation very interesting as I never realised how
important forests were to the planet and livelihoods of humans and other species.
I felt my report went fairly well but struggled to find information on certain topics
such preventing deforestation which makes me think that still enough isn’t being
done to save the forest lands. I also struggled to make my deadline for the report
as I had NABs to revise for at the same time so I have learned that I have to
manage my time better, perhaps started it a bit earlier than I did.
9
Bibliography
Websites
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/globalwarming/deforestation-overview/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/deforestation
http://www.globalwarmingandu.com/deforestation/Solutions-ForDeforestation.html
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/forests/climate-change
http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/urgentissues/rainforests/rainforestsfacts.xml
http://uk.oneworld.net/guides/forests?gclid=COern8W3yqwCFQkLfAodemc4rw
Television
The National Geographical Channel
The Discovery Channel
10