The causes of Deforestation can be from a number of different factors that are neither direct nor indirect causes. The single most direct cause of deforestation comes from the need for conversion of cropland and agricultural needs. Within deforestation there is never a link to one direct cause for deforestation which is evident in the large masses of different deforestation causes (direct or indirect) sometimes the cause for deforestation cannot be controlled by man by becoming something that nature chooses itself.

Direct causes of deforestation are: 

-       Natural causes such as hurricanes, fires, floods and parasitic that eat away at forests 

-       Human causes which include the expansion of agricultural lands and cattle grounds, timber milling, creating space for mining corporations, infrastructure and housing development 

The indirect causes:

-       stem from government and political actions, corruption and wrong public administration investments

-       socioeconomic causes with the increase in population growth, climate change and growth of military

The harvesting of palm oil is a major contributor to deforestation worldwide. Found in nearly 50% of food and household products sold in our local supermarkets, Palm oil is used frequently by companies due to its long shelf life. However, the farming of palm oil is resulting in some of the worlds most diverse ecosystems, and habitats, being destroyed. In fact, in the past 10 years alone, the already endangered orangutan population has decreased by 50 percent as the result of habitat loss caused by deforestation.
Sources (One Green Planet, WWF)

Another culprit of our current deforestation crisis is the paper industry, initiated by the industrial revolution, with increasing demand making this a problem that worsens by the day. The Union of Concerned Scientists found that “wood products,” including paper, account for about 10% of total deforestation. 
(Source: Aiche.org)