The Destruction Associated with Deforestation

I thought of the idea for this blog as I was watching one of my favorite shows on Netflix: Patriot Act by Hasan Minhaj. In one of the episodes, he went over deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. Although deforestation is not as predominant of an issue in the very civilized North America, South America is a different story. Deforestation is the clearing of forests for various socioeconomic reasons, causing detrimental changes in climate change and significant losses of biodiversity. Deforestation is particularly an issue in South America where almost half of the area is forestland which is home to thousands of different species. 

As always, let’s look at the numbers first. I mentioned earlier that deforestation is not as much of a concern in our continent. However, this is not because forestland is not present in North America; it is because the forestland that was present is not gone. In fact, since the 1600s, the US has destroyed 75% of its virgin forests, and we are still losing 36 million trees annually. Between 2001 and 2020, we experienced a 15% decline in tree cover, losing 42.2 million hectares of forests. 

Now let’s look at the focus of deforestation: South America. This is because around 54% of the global primary forest loss occurred in Latin America. Much of the problem resides with South America’s famous Amazon rainforest, the largest rainforest in the world, which is home to over 10,000 species of animals and over 40,000 species of plants. However, this invaluable biodiversity is being slowly endangered as the Amazon is decreasing in size. Since 1970, over 17% of the Amazon has been cut down, even with laws making it illegal to do so. Brazil alone has lost around 220,000 square miles of forest between 2001 and 2019. 

So what are the driving causes for deforestation? One, more natural, reason is that forests are burned by wildfires. Tropical forests store biomass so, when they burn, the biomass is released in the form of greenhouse gasses. It is estimated that 11% of total carbon emissions that cause global warming are due to the burning of forests. Now we can get to the part where we humans can blame ourselves. Agricultural activities are the leading cause of deforestation. Around 80% of deforestation is because the human population is growing at a rate which we can’t control, causing greater demand for various food products (read my blog on overpopulation for more info!). Another cause is livestock ranching. When farmers raise livestock, they need fresh land for the animals to feed off. Therefore, they cut down the trees and burn them to raise their livestock and grow food products, a process known as slash and burn. The farmers repeat this process until the soil they are on is completely degraded, then they move on to new forestland. This harmful process not only completely destroys the habitats of countless species, but also causes greenhouse gas emissions when the trees are burned. Other causes of deforestation include illegal logging and urbanization. 

Deforestation has a significant impact on climate change. Forests act as carbon sinks and are responsible for absorbing large amounts of the carbon emitted, preventing it from going into the atmosphere. However, as our carbon sinks are slowly shrinking due to deforestation, less carbon is being captured and more is being released. When carbon reaches the atmosphere, global warming increases as the temperature of our planet is not being regulated, intensifying the greenhouse effect. Deforestation also disrupts rainfall patterns, leading to drought in certain areas and flooding in others. 

The most effective solution to deforestation seems like the most obvious: enforcing stronger government regulations to prevent it. The reason governments are skeptical is because they are entirely focused on the profits which come from deforestation to regulate it. A few ways to combat this issue are:

• We can also prioritize more sustainable forms of agriculture. Practices like organic farming, regenerative agriculture, and vertical farming (check out my blog on this!) are the future of the agriculture industry. Making the switch to these practices can save the millions of trees that are being cut down each year. 
• Reforestation is also crucial. Planting trees to make up for the ones we lost is not an ideal solution, but it is better than nothing. 
• Because raising livestock is a major cause of deforestation, eating less meat is also a good solution people can take on individually (this one may not be easy for everyone though). With lower demand for livestock, there is less of a need for them to be raised in unsustainable manners. 
• Lastly, spreading awareness of deforestation is an easy solution. Customers should be urged to choose products that are grown sustainably such as certified timber. 

Deforestation continues to be a very pressing issue across the world as its implications directly and indirectly affect our environment. Species are being endangered by the thousands along with global warming increases which in turn causes more endangerment. Humans are trapping themselves in a cycle of unsustainability. It is crucial that we take a stance against governments that prioritize wealth over environmental health. By adopting sustainable practices and being more aware as a consumer we can help protect our forests and all of the species that thrive in them. 

Works Cited

“Deforestation Facts and Statistics 2022 [Global Data].” Toner Buzz, http://www.tonerbuzz.com/blog/deforestation-facts-and-statistics/#:~:text=50%2C000%20species%20are%20lost%20each.

Rinkesh. “Deforestation – Causes, Effects and Solutions – Conserve Energy Future.” Conserve Energy Future, 25 Dec. 2016, http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-of-deforestation.php.