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What Is Deforestation?

Deforestation is the clearing, destroying, or otherwise removal of trees through deliberate, natural, or accidental means. It can occur in any area densely populated by trees and other plant life, but the majority of it is currently happening in the Amazon rainforest.

The loss of trees and other vegetation can cause climate change, desertification, soil erosion, fewer crops, flooding, increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and a host of problems for Indigenous people.

Deforestation occurs for a number of reasons. The most common reason is agriculture, with 80% of deforestation resulting from extensive cattle ranching,and logging for materials and development. It has been happening for thousands of years, arguably since people began converting from hunter/gatherer to agricultural based societies, and required larger, unobstructed tracks of land to accommodate cattle, crops, and housing. However, after the onset of the modern era, it became an epidemic.

Effects of Deforestation on the Environment

Loss of Habitat

One of the most dangerous and unsettling effects of deforestation is the loss of animal and plant species due to their loss of habitat. 70% of land animals and plant species live in forests. Not only does deforestation threaten species known to us, but also those unknown.

The trees of the rainforest that provide shelter for some species also provide the canopy that regulates the temperature. Deforestation results in a more drastic temperature variation from day to night, much like a desert, which could prove fatal for many inhabitants.

Increased Greenhouse Gases

In addition to the loss of habitat, the lack of trees also allows a greater amount of greenhouse gases to be released into the atmosphere. Healthy forests absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, acting as valuable carbon sinks. Deforested areas lose that ability and release more carbon.

Water in the Atmosphere

Trees also help to control the level of water in the atmosphere by helping to regulate the water cycle.

One of the most important forests for regulating water cycles across the planet is the Amazon rainforest. Its millions of trees work together to release moisture into the air, creating atmospheric "rivers" that regulate Earth's weather patterns.

In deforested areas, there is less water in the air to be returned to the soil. This then causes dryer soil and the inability to grow crops.

Soil Erosion and Flooding

Further effects of deforestation include soil erosion and coastal flooding. Trees help the land to retain water and topsoil, which provides the rich nutrients to sustain additional forest life.

Without forests, the soil erodes and washes away, causing farmers to move on and perpetuate the cycle. The barren land which is left behind in the wake of these unsustainable agricultural practices is then more susceptible to flooding, specifically in coastal regions.

Effects of Deforestation 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.

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Deforestation is the process of permanently removing standing forests, which occurs for a variety of reasons and has many devastating effects.

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Who is affected by deforestation?
One of the most dangerous and unsettling effects of deforestation is the loss of animal and plant species due to their loss of habitat; not only do we lose those known to us, but also those unknown, potentially an even greater loss.
The trees of the rainforest that provide shelter for some species also provide the canopy that regulates the temperature, a necessity for many others. Its removal through deforestation would allow a more drastic temperature variation from day to night, much like a desert, which could prove fatal for current inhabitants.

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The most common pressures causing deforestation and severe forest degradation are agriculture, unsustainable forest management, mining, infrastructure projects and increased fire incidence and intensity.

Some infrastructure activities, such as road building, have a large indirect effect through opening up forests to settlers and agriculture. Poor forest management and unsustainable fuelwood collection degrade forests and often instigate a "death by a thousand cuts" form of deforestation.

Causes of deforestation and forest degradation

Conversion of forests for other land uses, including pulp, palm, and soy plantations, pastures, settlements, roads and infrastructure.

Forest fires: Each year, fires burn millions of hectares of forest worldwide. Fires are a part of nature but degraded forests are particularly vulnerable. These include heavily logged rainforests, forests on peat soils, or where forest fires have been suppressed for years allowing unnatural accumulation of vegetation that makes the fire burn more intensely. The resulting loss has wide-reaching consequences on biodiversity, climate, and the economy.

Illegal and unsustainable logging: Illegal logging occurs in all types of forests across all continents - from Brazil to Indonesia -destroying nature and wildlife, taking away community livelihoods and distorting trade. Illegally harvested wood finds its way into major consumption markets, such as the U.S., and European Union, which further fuels the cycle.

Fuelwood harvesting: Over-harvesting for domestic use or for commercial trade in charcoal significantly damages forests.

Mining: The impact of mining on tropical forests is growing due to rising demand and high mineral prices. Mining projects are often accompanied by major infrastructure construction, such as roads, railway lines and power stations, putting further pressure on forests and freshwater ecosystems.

Climate change: Forest loss is both a cause and an effect of our changing climate. Climate change can damage forests, for instance by drying out tropical rainforests and increasing fire damage in boreal forests. Inside forests, climate change is already harming biodiversity, a threat that is likely to increase.

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The most common pressures causing deforestation and severe forest degradation are agriculture, unsustainable forest management, mining, infrastructure projects and increased fire incidence and intensity. Some infrastructure activities, such as road building, have a large indirect effect through opening up forests to settlers and agriculture.

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What role does deforestation?

To make more land available for housing and urbanization

To harvest timber to create commercial items such as paper, furniture and homes

To create ingredients that are highly prized consumer items, such as the oil from palm trees

To create room for cattle ranching

Common methods of deforestation are burning trees and clear cutting. These tactics leave the land completely barren and are controversial practices.

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What causes deforestation?
The most common pressures causing deforestation and severe forest degradation are agriculture, unsustainable forest management, mining, infrastructure projects and increased fire incidence and intensity.

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Deforestation is when humans remove or clear large areas of forest lands and related ecosystems for non-forest use. These include clearing for farming purposes, ranching, and urban use. In these cases, trees are never re-planted.

About 2,000 trees per minute are cut down in the rainforests. Rather shockingly, 36 million acres of natural forest are lost each year. This is worrying and very serious.

Since the industrial age, about half of the world's original forests have been destroyed and millions of animals and living things have been endangered. Despite the improvements in education, information and general awareness of the importance of forests, deforestation has not reduced much, and there are still many more communities and individuals who still destroy forest lands for personal gains.

Trees are cut down (deforestation) for many reasons including
To be used, sold or exported as timber, wood or fuel (charcoal). This is called logging.
To be used for farming purposes (grazing fields for livestock, or large-scale farming activities)
To make room for human settlement and urbanization (these include making space for shelter, industries, and roads)
To make room for mining. ( More on deforestation here)
Why do humans clear forest lands?

In all the reasons above, the trees cut are usually very well developed trees that have taken many years to mature. When they are cut, they break down younger trees as they fall to the ground, leaving that area heavily degraded.

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Deforestation is when humans remove or clear large areas of forest lands and related ecosystems for non-forest use. These include clearing for farming purposes, ranching, and urban use. In these cases, trees are never re-planted. About 2,000 trees per minute are cut down in the rainforests.

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Deforestation is when humans remove or clear large areas of forest lands and related ecosystems for non-forest use. These include clearing for farming purposes, ranching and urban use. In these cases, trees are never re-planted.

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Cleared peatland with rainforest in the background. Photo by Rhett A. Butler
Social impacts:

1. Loss of culture (indigenous peoples subsistence living in the rainforest). People who live in the rainforest depend on the natural environment for food, shelter, materials for cooking, clothing, etc. If the forest is cut down or if their environment becomes polluted from oil extraction and mining, they are forced to move or risk starvation and sickness.

2. Displacement of people (loss of farmland, forest resources, etc).

3. Social conflicts and struggles over land and natural resources.

4. Conflicts over racial and ethnic rights.

5. Poisoning from oil and mining waste.

6. Economic uncertainty (price fluctuations and high interest rates on outstanding international loans with The World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

What can we do to STOP or at least lessen the amount of deforestation and conserve our own use of natural resources such as wood, oil and gas, electricity, minerals and elements, and water? Brainstorm...here's a start:

Always use both sides of paper when writing, drawing, photo-copying, faxing, etc.

Recycle paper, cans, glass, and plastic.

Read the newspaper on-line.

Buy paper products made from recycled paper: notebook paper, paper towels, toilet paper, books, etc.

Use pencils until they are stubs! Think of pencils as gold (you'll never lose them if you do).

Encourage your parents, relatives, and friends to buy furniture and wood that is Certified. That means the wood was legally cut-down.

If you buy a product and you notice they use wood chips to package it, write to the company and suggest they use another packaging material.

Trees get cut down for cattle to graze. Instead of eating meat, think of eating other sources of protein such as fish, soy, beans, whole-wheat, and nuts.

Buy organic fruits and vegetables. That means there are no insecticides or pesticides (poisonous chemicals) sprayed on the food. If these chemicals kill insects and pests that try and eat the vegetables, think about how harmful they can be to you and the environment.

Instead of buying gold or diamonds, which are mined and cause environmental damage, consider jewelry that is made from materials that are not mined...such as glass.

Encourage your parents, relatives, and friends to drive fuel efficient cars that get good gas mileage. Hybrid and bio-diesel cars get great mileage and use less or no gasoline.

Even better, whenever possible, walk, bike, carpool or use mass transit (bus or train).

Save electricity by turning off lights, t.v., radio, computer, etc when you are not using them.

Save water by NOT taking baths; instead take quick showers (turning off the water while you soap up) and then turning it back on to rinse quickly.

While washing your hands and brushing your teeth, turn off the water. You'll save gallons if you do.

When washing the dishes or your parent's car, turn off the water while washing it with soap. Rinse quickly after washing.

Hmmm, can you think of other ways to conserve wood, oil and gas, electricity, minerals and elements, and water, etc...? Brainstorm with your pen pal or a family member.

Okay, now show YOURSELF what you have LEARNED by answering the following questions:

What does deforestation mean? (Hint: The prefix de- means to remove or reduce).

2. Why does deforestation happen? For what purpose(s)?

3. The largest rainforest in the world is located in:

a.) The Philippines

b.) The Congo Basin in Central Africa

c.) Peru

d.) The Amazon Basin of South America

4. If 2 U.S. football fields are destroyed every second, how many football fields are destroyed in 5 seconds?

5. If 50,000 species become extinct every year, how many will become extinct in half a year?

6. T or F: Rainforests contain over half of all plant and animal species in the world?

7. Fill in the blank: One environmental consequence of deforestation is __________. This occurs when heavy rains wash nutrients from the soil.

8. Name two things you can do as a global citizen to decrease deforestation.

9. Biodiversity refers to:

a.) The loss of animals and plants

b.) A variety, or many different kinds of living things

c.) When animals lose their living space or habitat

d.) An increase in the earth's temperature

10. Fill in the blank: Indigenous people _______ in the rainforest. They depend on the forest for their food, clothing, medicine, cooking and building materials.

Deforestation photos taken by Mongabay founder Rhett A. Butler

Deforestation for oil palm

Newly planted oil palm plantation

Smallholder deforestation

Peatlands destruction in Riau

Illegal sand and gold mining

Deforestation for oil palm

Illegal sand and gold mining

Deforestation for oil palm

Deforestation for oil palm

Illegal deforestation for palm oil

deforestation for oil palm

Sunset over a deforested area

Answers are located after the references (please don't look until you have completed all 10 questions).

Pen Pal Letter: Imagine you're in class and your teacher reads an article about a U.S. company which is deforesting a rainforest in Brazil. Your teacher encourages you and your classmates to write letters to the company. Using the information you have learned in this lesson, write your letter to convince the company to STOP the deforestation. Use the facts you have learned to support and provide evidence for your position. Write your letter in the Comments Section after this lesson. You and your Pen Pal will read each other's letters and provide positive feedback to each other.
References:
Kricher, J. (1997). A Neotropical Companion: An introduction to the animals, plants, & ecosystems of the New World Tropics. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

Rainforest Action Network web-site: https://ran.org/info_center/factsheets/04b.html

NASA web-site: https://eospso.gsfc.nasa.gov/ftp_docs/Deforestation.pdf
Answers to questions:
1. Deforestation refers to the cutting, clearing, and removal of rainforest or related ecosystems into less bio-diverse ecosystems such as pasture, cropland, or plantations.

2. Logging, mining, oil and gas extraction, cattle ranching, agriculture, and International, National, and Local reasons.

3. d.) The Amazon Basin in South America

4. 2 U.S. football field= 1 second, then

? U.S. football fields= 5 seconds

You can set it up as a proportion: 2/1= n/5, n=10

5. 1/2 of 50,000 or 1/2 x 50,000 or 50,000/2= 25,000 species

6. True

7. erosion

8. Buy paper products made from recycled paper and become a vegetarian

9. b.) A variety, or many different kinds of living things

10. live
How did you do? I bet you did great!
Note: This integrated lesson is designed for 3rd grade students. The following California standards are addressed in this lesson:

Reading: Vocabulary and Concept Development (1.6): Use sentence and word context to find the meaning of unknown words.

Reading Comprehension: Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text (2.6): Extract appropriate and significant information from the text, including problems and solutions.

Writing applications: Write personal and formal letters , thank-you notes, and invitations (2.3): Show awareness of the knowledge and interests of the audience and establish a purpose and context.

Life Science: Students know when the environment changes, some plants and animals survive and reproduce; others die or move to new locations.

Social Studies: Students understand the role of rules and laws in our daily lives and the basic structure of the U.S. government (3.42): Discuss the importance of public virtue and the role of citizens, including how to participate in a classroom, in the community, and in civic life.

Algebra and Functions: Students select appropriate symbols, operations, and properties to represent, describe, simplify, and solve simple number relationships: (1.1): Represent relationships of quantities in the form of mathematical expressions, equations, or inequalities.

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Cleared peatland with rainforest in the background. Photo by Rhett A. Butler Social impacts: Loss of culture (indigenous peoples subsistence living in the rainforest). People who live in the rainforest depend on the natural environment for food, shelter, materials for cooking, clothing, etc.

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Deforestation refers to the cutting, clearing, and removal of rainforest or related ecosystems into less bio-diverse ecosystems such as pasture, cropland, or plantations.

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Deforestation and climate change

Deforestation is considered to be one of the contributing factors to global climate change. According to Michael Daley, an associate professor of environmental science at Lasell College in Newton, Massachusetts, the No. 1 problem caused by deforestation is the impact on the global carbon cycle. Gas molecules that absorb thermal infrared radiation are called greenhouse gases. If greenhouse gases are in large enough quantity, they can force climate change, according to Daley. While oxygen (O₂) is the second most abundant gas in our atmosphere, it does not absorb thermal infrared radiation, as greenhouse gases do. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the most prevalent greenhouse gas. CO₂ accounts for about 82.2 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Trees can help, though. About 300 billion tons of carbon, 40 times the annual greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, is stored in trees, according to Greenpeace.

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Some other statistics:

About half of the world's tropical forests have been cleared, according to the FAO.

Forests currently cover about 30 percent of the world’s landmass, according to National Geographic.

The Earth loses 18.7 million acres of forests per year, which is equal to 27 soccer fields every minute, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

It is estimated that 15 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions come from deforestation, according to the WWF.

In 2016, global tree cover loss reached a record of 73.4 million acres (29.7 million hectares), according to the University of Maryland.

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Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses. 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).