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Deforestation is the purposeful clearing of forested land. Throughout history and into modern times, forests have been razed to make space for agriculture and animal grazing, and to obtain wood for fuel, manufacturing, and construction.

Deforestation has greatly altered landscapes around the world. About 2,000 years ago, 80 percent of Western Europe was forested; today the figure is 34 percent. In North America, about half of the forests in the eastern part of the continent were cut down from the 1600s to the 1870s for timber and agriculture. China has lost great expanses of its forests over the past 4,000 years and now just over 20 percent of it is forested. Much of Earth's farmland was once forests.

Today, the greatest amount of deforestation is occurring in tropical rainforests, aided by extensive road construction into regions that were once almost inaccessible. Building or upgrading roads into forests makes them more accessible for exploitation. Slash-and-burn agriculture is a big contributor to deforestation in the tropics. With this agricultural method, farmers burn large swaths of forest, allowing the ash to fertilize the land for crops. The land is only fertile for a few years, however, after which the farmers move on to repeat the process elsewhere. Tropical forests are also cleared to make way for logging, cattle ranching, and oil palm and rubber tree plantations.

Deforestation can result in more carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. That is because trees take in carbon dioxide from the air for photosynthesis, and carbon is locked chemically in their wood. When trees are burned, this carbon returns to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. With fewer trees around to take in the carbon dioxide, this greenhouse gas accumulates in the atmosphere and accelerates global warming.

Deforestation also threatens the world's biodiversity. Tropical forests are home to great numbers of animal and plant species. When forests are logged or burned, it can drive many of those species into extinction. Some scientists say we are already in the midst of a mass-extinction episode.

More immediately, the loss of trees from a forest can leave soil more prone to erosion. This causes the remaining plants to become more vulnerable to fire as the forest shifts from being a closed, moist environment to an open, dry one.

While deforestation can be permanent, this is not always the case. In North America, for example, forests in many areas are returning thanks to conservation efforts.

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Deforestation is the intentional clearing of forested land.

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Why is deforestation bad article 2 source 2

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Why is deforestation bad article 2 source 2

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Forest destruction is a crisis for the whole planet. Find out how we can all fight to save our forests.

As well as being stunningly beautiful, forests are vital for the health of our planet. They provide food and shelter for so much of life on Earth - from fungi and insects to tigers and elephants.

More than half the world's land-based plants and animals, and three-quarters of all birds, live in and around forests.

Forests have a big influence on rainfall patterns, water and soil quality and flood prevention too. Millions of people rely directly on forests as their home or for making a living.

But the risks from deforestation go even wider. Trees absorb and store carbon dioxide. If forests are cleared, or even disturbed, they release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Forest loss and damage is the cause of around 10% of global warming. There's simply no way we can fight the climate crisis if we don't stop deforestation.

We need to protect forests now more than ever.

Most deforestation is carried out to clear land for food production. This is not a new thing - for instance in the UK we largely cleared our natural forests centuries ago to create more agricultural land. But now we know the wider damage deforestation can do - and especially at the alarming pace and scale of destruction happening around the world.

The majority of the deforestation is linked to meat, soya and palm oil. Huge swathes of tropical forest are removed so the land can be used for growing soya to feed farm animals like pigs and poultry. All to meet the insatiable global demand for cheap meat.

Even though the damage is mainly done to tropical forests, the causes can be linked to eating habits all around the world - including here in the UK. Our footprint is mainly linked to soya grown to feed British reared animals. So the chicken and bacon in our shops may well be unwittingly contributing to global deforestation.

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Forest destruction is a crisis for the whole planet. Find out how we can all fight to save our forests.

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Global warming: by 2050 these regions will be uninhabitable

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Some parts of the world will be uninhabitable to humans by 2050 due to climate change, according to NASA.