Deforestation is one of the biggest ecological problems of the planet. It's the removal or clearing of trees and forests which are converted into use for humans, like for agricultural use, making houses, for commercial purposes and other development.
About 31% of Earth’s land surface is covered by forests. Deforestation is more extreme in tropical and subtropical forests. These areas are converted into economical uses. The total area of tropical rainforest on Earth is about 16 million square kilometres, but because of deforestation, only 6.2 square kilometres are left. According to the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020, the global rate of net forest loss in 2010-2020 was 7 million hectares per year.
The primary reason for deforestation is agricultural. Indeed, agriculture leads to around 80% of deforestation. For the survival of the livelihood, farmers cut trees off the forest and use that land for the purpose of cultivation. Due to the increasing population, the demand for food products is also increasing, which creates more deforestation. Furthermore, the growing population is also responsible for the cutting off of trees because of city expansion.
In parallel, the demand for paper, matchsticks, furniture, etc., is also increasing. Therefore, wood-based industries need a substantial amount of wood supply to make these products. Paper plays an important role in everyone's life. Many industries in petrochemicals release their waste into rivers, which results in soil erosion and makes it unfit to grow plants and trees in these places. Oil and coal mining requires a large amount of forest land. The waste that comes out from mining pollutes the environment and affects other species.
Another reason is forest fires. Thousands of trees are lost every year because of the hot temperature of those places and milder winters. In many places, the fire is caused by human irresponsibilities.
The effects of deforestation on our planet are a very big deal and very important. Forests are the lungs of our planet. Trees take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which is responsible for our living. They also provide shade to soil, because of which soil remains moist, and they release water vapours, keeping the climate humid. However, due to the process of deforestation, the climate becomes drier and hotter, which makes ecology difficult and leads to climate change. Also, this factor is mainly responsible for forest fires.
Moreover, animals and plants which form flora and fauna across the world have to suffer due to deforestation. Various animal species are lost; they lose their habitat and are forced to move to a new location where it is very difficult for them to adapt. The cutting of trees is responsible for soil erosion. Fertile soil is held in place by intricate root structures of many layers of trees. Without trees, erosion often occurs and sweeps the land into nearby rivers. With the cutting of trees, the soil is directly exposed to the sun, which dries it out. Deforestation is mainly responsible for floods, loss of biodiversity, food ecosystem disruption, wildlife extinction, and habitat loss. This is why we should use recycled paper and digital alternatives when possible!