What is Deforestation?

Deforestation is the permanent destruction of indigenous (native) forests. It is the loss of

forest cover to be replaced by other land uses. It is a major global problem and has serious
consequences.

How bad is it?

Forests once covered 6 billion hectares of the Earth but now only 4 billion hectares are left.
Trees are important to our survival because, like other green plants, they produce oxygen.
Without oxygen, animals, including humans, cannot survive!

Approximately 200,000 square km of forests are depleted each year. By now,

approximately half of forests once occupied the earth�s surface has been deforested.

Deforestation has resulted in the reduction of indigenous (native) forests to four-fifths of

their pre-agricultural area. Indigenous forests now cover 21% of the earth's land surface.

What causes deforestation?

Deforestation occurs for several reasons which include:

Timber harvesting (commercial logging)

Clearance for agricultural purposes

Clearance for settlement

Other reasons that may contribute to deforestation include the construction of towns or the
building of dams which flood large areas.

Why do we need the forest?

Forests are important as they serve many different functions and purposes:

It regulates temperature (it is a carbon -sink) -In a process called photosynthesis, trees and
other plants use water, sunlight and carbon dioxide (emitted by cars, animals and the
burning fossil fuels) to grow; as a by-product, they return life-supporting oxygen to the
atmosphere . This basic process has new significance as concerns about global warming
intensify. The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is linked to the amount of heat
trapped in the earth�s atmosphere. By �fixing� the carbon dioxide within their leaves
and woody matter, trees can play a major role in reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and
keeping the Earth�s average temperature in balance.

It is a habitat for biodiversity- it is home to many animals and a variety of plant species can
be found here. Many of the plants in the forest have medicinal value and can be used for
cures for ailments. The forest also contains the genes for various desirable characteristics
that will have future importance.
It is a source of food - in many parts of the world; people depend on forest animals as a
source of food and medication. Foods such as wild berries and the heart of the ite? palm
are also obtained from the forest.

It helps to maintain the water table- Forests help to prevent both erosion and flooding by
binding the soil surface and allowing rain to sink into the soil where it raises the water
table and is released to streams and springs slowly, rather than running off quickly. This
keeps our streams and aquifers charged with water.

The forest also provides Forest products and Non-Timber Forest produces such as paper,
building materials, recreation, etc.

What are the consequences deforestation?

Loss of biodiversity, particularly in tropical forests that are home too much of the
world�s biodiversity.

The silting of lakes and rivers resulting from soil erosion.

Regional and global climate imbalances.

Excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that may lead to global warming.

Loss of culture and knowledge of many forest peoples.

Desertification (formation of deserts) as an ultimate(end) result of deforestation.

Guyana�s Forests
A large percentage of Guyana�s land mass is luscious rainforests and supports many
exotic species of flora and fauna from which tremendous benefits can be derived.

The forests are a source of income and provides employment for many people. The forests
also is major attraction for ecotourism and thus the industry in Guyana relies heavily on
this resource.

Our indigenous peoples also depend on this resource as a main source of livelihood and the
forests form the basis of their culture.

How can we help?

Governments have made rules and regulations about deforestation. However, this has
proved insufficient. We can do many things to stop deforestation. For example:

Recycle your paper.

Use paper only as needed.

Start planting trees.

replant clear-cut areas

make more National parks/Reserves

use alternatives to wood products

buy certified products i.e. products produced from sustainably managed forests

Therefore it is important that we strive to maintain our forests and prevent deforestation
from occurring.

Effects of Deforestation

The United Nations Confrence on Enviroment and Development (UNCED) in 1992 defines
deforestion as "land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and sub-humid areas resulting from variuos
factors including climatic variations and human activites." The effects of deforestation can be
catagorized in three ways. They are: enviromental effects, local social effects, and global social
effects. Many of the enviromental effects contribute to the severity of the social problems. That
is why it is important to understand the enviromental effects of deforestation and how they
contribute to the social effects of deforestation.

Enviromental Effects

Click here to see images of the effects of deforestaiton

• Effects on Biodiversity

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) defines biodiversity as "the wealth of life on Earth, the
millions of plants, animals, and micro-organisms, the gens they contain and the intricate
ecosystems they build into the living enviroment." Rainforest are one of the most
biologically diverse regions of the world. Over a millions species of plants and animals
are known to live in the forests and millions more are not classified. The unique
enviroment of the rainforest allows for such biodiversity to exist.

The process of deforestation in various geographical regions is destroying this unique

enviroment. Consequently, many animals and plants that live in the rainforests face the
specter of extinction. The extinction of the plants and animals leads to diminished gene
pool. The lack of biodiversity and a reduced planetary gene pool could have many
unforeseen ramifications, some of which could be fatal to the future of humanity. In
addition, there are ethical, aesthetic and philosophical question regarding mankind's
responsibility for other life. This issue concerns more industrialized countries in the
North more than it concerns lesser developed countries in the South. This is especially
true in developing countries such as Brazil. I will elaborate on that later.

Another isssue that probably concerns the North more that the South is the advancement
of humanity. As the planetary gene pool continues to diminish, there are less
oppertunities for advancements in many fields. In particular, medicine may benefit from
the cultivation of certain plants that grow only in rainforests. The medicines that come
from them could cure cancer, AIDS, or other terminal deseases. Of course, that claim can
easily be dismissed as speculative, given that there is little or no evidence to support it.
However, it is too early to dismiss the possibility. Furthermore, if the rainforests are
completely destroyed, the oppertunity to explore that possibility would be lost forever.
The effect that would have on future generations is incalculable. Preserving the rainforest
would leave many oppertunities in medicine and many other fields open for future
generations to explore and further advance humanity.

There is at least on issue that would concern both North and South equally. That is
preservation and is compatibility with forest use and management. Different people have
different uses of rainforests. Indigenous people who live in the forests, as well as the non-
indigenous people who live in the forests, the forest is their home, source of food, shelter,
nourishment, recreation, culture, and livelihood. The forest provides the materials for
thier homes, wood for their fires, the fish, the edible plants, and many more neccessities
as well as amenities. Some of the non-indigenous people sell some of the forest resources
for money. They do not exploit the forest because they sell commodities in limited
numbers to preserve the forest resources for the future. This ensures that they can
continue to make thier livelihoods by selling products from the forest.

There are people that see the forest as sources of money. These people exploit of the
forest. They cut down trees for rare, exotic timber that sell at high prices. Their primary
concern is profits. In the short term, they can make huge profits selling exotic timber. If
this is continued for some time, eventually, there will be no more trees to cut down.
People who make their living cutting and selling trees will go bankrupt. The same thing
applies to gold mining and raising cash crops. In the case of cash crops, what happens is
the soil, which is usually poor to begin with, further degrades until the soil is no longer
good for agriculture. People who make their living off of raising cash crops are forced to
move to other areas until all the soil goes bad. Then the cash corp farmer goes bankrupt.

Can all of the diverse interests, the needs of forest dwellers and the wants of big business
people, be reconciled with? Is it possible to preserve enough of a rainforest while
allowing parts of it to be used for commerical purposes? Are the need of the animals
living in the forest a factor in this debate? Any sucessful policy of action regarding the
management of rainforest must address of these questions. The matter is further
complicated when the various effects a single action can have are considered. For
exmaple, if too much timber is cut, the soil that once had sufficient cover to keep from
going dry now gets baked in the sun, that same soil is subject to erosion, the forest
becomes less capable of surviving big storms, and the whole forest begins to degrade and
eventually die. That does not even consider how these effect will affect the animals living
 in the forest. Another example is mining for gold. The mercury that is used gets into the
food chain, ultimately giving forest dwellers a case of mecury poisoning. How does
mercury poisoning affect other animals or plants in the food chain? A third an final
example is cash crop agriculture. First of all, clearing the timber exposes the soil to the
sun and makes the soil suseptible to erosion. The soil itself is not really good for
agriculture, and the soil becomes totally useless in a matter of years so the cylcle is
started again. This rapid destruction of rainforest has various effect of forest dwellers and
animals. None of which are good. The indigenous people and the forest dwellers do not
benefit from the exploitation of the forest. Exploitation, through the destruction of the
forest, destroys the source of life of the indigenous people, forest dwellers and animals
that live in the forest. On the same token, the rich business man can not get what he wants
if he must consider the needs of the people and animals who live in the rainforests. If he
considers the need of the people and the animals, then he can not cut down all the trees he
want. He might not even be able to cut trees in certain areas. That means his profits will
not be as big as he can get. It is a real dilemma. Unfortunely, the trend is in favor of the
rich business man.

• Climate Change

When an area of rainforest is either cut down or destroyed, there are various climate
changes that happen as a result. The following is a list of the various climate changes
with a brief description of why they come about.

1. Desication of previously moist forest soil

What happens is because of the exposure to the sun, the soil gets baked and the
lack of canopy leaves nothing to prevent the moisture from quickly evaporating
into the atmosphere. Thus, previously moist soil becomes dry and cracked.

2. Dramatic Increase in Temperature Extremes

Trees provide shade and the shaded area has a moderated temperature. With
shade, the temperature may be 98 degrees Farenheit during the day and 60
degrees at night. With out the shade, temperatures would be much colder during
the night and around 130 degrees during the day.

3. Moist Humid Region Changes to Desert

This is related to the desicaiton of previously moist forest soil. Primarily because
of the lack of moisture and the inability to keep moisture, soil that is exposed to
the sun will dry and turn into desert sand. Even before that happens, when the soil
becomes dry, dust storms become more frequent. At that point, the soil becomes
usesless.

4. No Recycling of Water
 Moisture from the oceans fall as rain on adjacent coastal regions. The moisture is
soon sent up to the atmosphere through the transpiration of foliage to fall again on
inland forest areas. This cycle repeats several times to rain on all forest regions.

5. Less Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen Exchange

The rainforests are important in the carbon dioxide exchange process. They are
second only to oceans as the most important "sink" for atmospheric carbon
dioxide. The most recent survey on deforestaiton and greenhouse gas emisions
reports that deforestation may account for as much as 10% of current greenhouse
gas emmisions. Greenhouse gases are gases in the atmosphere that literally trap
heat. There is a theory that as more greenhouse gasses are released into the
atmosphere, more heat gets trapped. Thus, there is a global warming trend in
which the average temperature becomes progressivily higher.

6. More Desertification

According to the United Nations Enviromental Programme (UNEP) in 1977,

deforestation is an important factor contributing to desertificaiton. What is unclear
is how fast deserts are expanding is controversial. According to UNEP, between
1958 and 1975, the Saharen Desert expanded southward by about 100km. In 1980
UNEP estimated that desertification threatened 35 per cent of the world's land
surface and 20 per cent of the world's population. Recently, groups challenged
those conclusions. Some scientists claim that the conclusion were based on
insufficient data. Nevertheless, desertification still threatens more and more
drylands.

7. Soil Erosion

The relationship between deforestation and soil ersion. Deforestation is known to

contribute to run-off of rainfall and intensified soil erosion. The seriousness of the
problem depends much on soil characteristics and topography.

8. Other Effects

There many rewards such as clean air and clean water, perhaps the two most
important, that forests provide. Rainforests also provide many aesthetic,
recreational and cultural rewards. If the rainforests are destroyed, then these
rewards dissappear. This has major social repercusions for the entire world.

Social Effects of Deforestation in Brazil

The process of deforestation had numerous social effects for the population of Brazil and the
world. The indigenous people that lived in the rainforest were the hardest hit, so naturally when
examining the social effects of deforestation, much of the analysis will focus on the indigenous
population. It is equally important to note that besides the indigenous population, there were also
riverine agriculturalists and backwoods agriculturalists, hunters, and extractivists that lived in the
rainforests. The information presented here comes from case study reports in the regions of
Rondonia and Para (see map).

The riverine agriculturalists, mostly Portuguese-speaking settlers, occupied the varzeas, the
fertile flood plains, for permanent agriculture. This was possible because soil fertility was
renewed annually during flooding. In 1990, the flood plains made up about 5 per cent of the
Amazon's areas and the flood plains included over half of all the land suitable for permanent
agriculture. Their lifestyles were similar to the indigenous population, but unlike the indigenous
population, they sold some crops, fish, jute, and the like to local traders.

The third group were the hunters, backwoods agriculturalists, and extractivists. Extractivists
collected rubber, Brazil nuts and other forest prduct to sell. They used the money to buy
necessities, such as tools, guns, and a few staples. Most of the people in this group, like the
indigenous people practiced long fallow shifting agriculture and keep a few animals.

All three groups and in particular the indigenous poluation suffered greatly from the process of
deforestation. Case studies documented in detail how outside people invaded the indigenous
population reserves and how various devices deprived the indigenous people of their traditional
lands and forest. Gold prospectors brought diseases that soon wipe out most of the indigenous
population. The mercury gold prospectors used to separate gold from sand polluted drinking
water and fish. Consequently, the indigenous population suffered greatly from mercury
poisoning because fish was the primary source of protein for them. Cattle ranchers, loggers and
land speculators also invaded the indigenous lands. Many forests, especially those near navigable
steams were cleared. This affected fish reproductions, since most fish species depended on forest
sources. Water reserves, hydrologic regime, soils and local climates, and agricultural
productivity were also affected.

The indigenous population were losing the fight to save their lands. They often and fiercely with
the outsiders invading their lands. The outcome was deadly. When the indigenous people turned
to legal alternatives, even with the support of allies like the Church and enviromental NGOs,
their efforts were ineffective. In addition, laws were passed that vested the ownership of sub-
terrianian minerals in the state. Thus, in spite of constitutional guarantees and legislation, the
indigenous people did not have secure ownership of their lands. In addition, the Brazilian
government passed laws that promoted the development of the Amazonian region. The primary
aim was to develop cash crops and other raw products for export to other countries. There are
also other lwas affecting the indigenous poulation that have not been talked about. The net result
is that the idigenous people are being forcably expelled from their homes.

The other two groups of traditional rainforest dwellers also suffered greatly from the effects of
deforestation. There was widespread mercury poisoning, pollution from mine sludge, and the
intensive us of herbicides to control the growth of vegetation near powerlines and roads. fish
populations and agriclutural production was declining. These problems were further
compounded by dams. They changed fish migrating patter and flooded numerous communities.
The large shallow Tucurui reservoir in Para brought plagues of misquitos. Motorized commercial
fisherman came and overfished the region and deprived the local people of their main source of
protein and a principle source of cash. Consequently, many flood plain cultivators left to clear
parcels in remaining forests elsewhere or to join the partially employed in urban area.

The extractivits were also hard hit. Thr rubber trees and Brazil nuts tree were granted as
concessions large entreprenuers with a monopoly of marketing these product and supplying
producers. Although the rubber boom collapsed in the twentieth century, during the temporary
revival during the Second World War, many extractivists stayed on as independent operators
who continued to exploit the lands they exploit for generations. Violent conflicts erupted
between the extrativits and land speculators and ranchers when land speclators and ranchers
wanted to clear the rubber trees and Brazil nut trees. Many extractivist were forcably evicted and
had to seek livelihoods elsewhere.

There was an ironic twist to this problem. That is that many of the new migrants to the
Amazonian area were not any better off than they were before. Many small farmers, who were
either settled officially by the National Institute for Colonization and Agrian Reform in Brazil
(INCRA) or attracted by the promise of abundant land or high wage, soon lost their jobs. They
faced many of the same problems that the traditional settlers faced. The farmers often either
entered the ranks of the urban poor or went on to clear more land for rich landlords. It seems
reasonable to conclude that as a result of its acitons, the Brazilian government has made
unemployment an even greater problem. Also it has agrivated the problem of migrants and
homeless people.

As a post script, it is import to note that not all of the soicial consequences presented here are
directly caused by deforestation in the Amazonian region in Brazil.
 The Choice: Doomsday or Arbor Day
Jocelyn Stock Andy Rochen

Introduction

Environmental issues effect every life on this planet from the smallest parasite to the human race.
The reason for this is simple. A single disruption in the Earth�s delicate balance can mean
certain destruction of the very place that cradles the lives of many species. What is not so simple
is finding alternatives to the now dangerous and confronting acts of planet degradation that have
been afflicted on the planet over recent years. One such issue that requires consideration is
deforestation. Trees have been or are being cut down at increasingly high rates. If this is not
stopped many unfavorable side effects could result.

Why Trees Matter

To understand why deforestation is such a pressing and urgent issue, forests must
first be given credit for what they bring to global ecosystems and the quality of life
that all species maintain. Tropical Rainforests presently give a place to call home for
50% - 90% of all organisms, 90% of our relatives, the primates, and 50 million
creatures that can live no place but the rich rainforests (World Rainforest Movement
16). Not only are other species at risk, but the human race also benefits from what
the trees give. From something as minor as the spices that indulge food to life
giving medicines, the rainforests amplify and save lives. According to the World
Rainforest Movement, 25% of medicines come from the forests (28). This is a
number that does not do justice to all the cures that have yet to be discovered or
that have been destroyed. The forests give life, not only to other species, but they
help to prolong the human race.
The forests have global implications not just on life but on the quality of it. Trees
improve the quality of the air that species breath by trapping carbon and other
particles produced by pollution. Trees determine rainfall and replenish the
atmosphere. As more water gets put back in the atmosphere, clouds form and
provide another way to block out the sun�s heat. Trees are what cool and regulates
the earth�s climate in conjunction with other such valuable services as preventing
erosion, landslides, and making the most infertile soil rich with life. Mother earth
has given much responsibility to trees.
 This map shows where deforestation is at its peak in the world with so much focus
on the Amazon Region it is also best to know that some places in Europe, Asia, and
Mexico also contribute.

Source: http://www.igc.apc.org/wri/wr-96-97/lc_f3.gif

Population Growth an Deforestation

So this leads into a very confusing question of the 20th century. Why are these trees being torn
down? The World Wide Forest Report found that when the Roman Empire was in control of
Europe 90% of the continent was forested. Today 500,000 hectors vanish in a single week
("Logging is the Major Cause of Global Deforestation" 1). There is no one easy answer as there
are many causes at the root of deforestation. One is overpopulation in cities and developing
countries. Population is continually growing in the third world. Some had land until increases in
population forced them off it and they became landless peasants that are forced to look for land
in the untouched forests. This movement to the forests is in some ways a result of government
pressures. In place of implementing programs to help the poor these governments concentrate on
the cheapest, easiest, way to keep poverty out of sight and give the poor no other choice but to
force other species out and themselves in. According to Norman Myers, bad land tenure, a
shortage of modern agricultural tools, and government neglect of subsistence farmers have put an
influx of human interference in the forests. (37) The poor are pushed in further and further and
destroy more every time they must move on.

What the poor do in the forests is the most devastating. In attempts to settle
farmland, the poor become "shifted cultivators" and resort to using slash and burn
methods of tree removal. Slashing and burning involves what its name implies,
trees are cut down and the remains are burned. The ash is used as a fertilizer and
the land is then used for farming or cattle grazing, however, the soil that is cleared
in slash and burn is left infertile, the nutrients in the soil are quickly absorbed by
surrounding organisms ("Deforestation" 1). The farmers must move on sometimes
to other areas and repeat this process and worthy land and trees become scarce.
For farmers in places like Brazil, slash and burn methods are the only way to
effectively clear land of parasites and unwanted organisms; chemical means
contaminate water and soil and farmers continue to turn to slashing and burning
("Slash and Burn Agriculture" 1). It has become so much a dilemma that a leading
researcher, Myers, sees it of all the causes of deforestation, to be the number one
cause (Myers 32).
 This is a specific example of how population growth and slash and burn agriculture
is a terrible cycle that will destroy the forest.

Source: http://www.gwdg.de/~jwiesen/images/anbau.jpg

Logging and Deforestation

The small farmer plays a big role, but it is modern industry that too cuts down the trees. The
logging industry is fueled by the need for disposable products. 11 million acres a year are cut for
commercial and property industries (Entity Mission 1). Peter Heller found that McDonald�s
needs 800 square miles of trees to make the amount of paper they need for a year�s supply of
packaging, Entity Mission found that British Columbia manufactures 7, 500,000 pairs of
chopsticks a day, and the demand for fuel wood is so high that predictions say that there will be a
shortage by the year 2000. Logging does too have its repercussions. The logging industry not
only tries to accomplish all this but it even indirectly helps the "shifted cultivators" and others to
do more damage. The roads that the loggers build to access the forests and generate hydroelectric
power create an easy way for many people to try to manipulate the forest resources. The amount
of damage that this adds to the forests can not be measured nor can that of the illegal logging.
Some importers may even be buying illegally logged wood and not even have known it
("Logging is the Major Cause of Global Deforestation � New WWF Report" 2).
Cattle Grazing and Deforestation

Another of the more devastating forces behind deforestation is cattle grazing. With the
international growth of fast food chains this seems to be an evident factor in the clearing of trees
today. Large corporations looking to buy beef for hamburger and even pet food seek cheap prices
and are finding them with the growth of cattle grazing (Heller 3). In the Amazon region of South
America alone there are 100,000 beef ranchers (Heller 3). As the burger giants of industrialized
society are making high demands for more beef, more forests are being torn down. Statistics
from less than a decade ago, 1989, indicate that 15,000 km squared of forests are used expressly
for the purpose of cattle grazing (Myers 32). Once the trees are gone the land is often
overgrazed. In some places the government wants this to happen. Cattle grazing is big profit that
can�t be turned down.

Other Causes

Beyond the major causes of deforestation lie some supplementary ones that too stack the odds
against forests around the globe. Acid rain and the building of dams have their share of harmful
effects. The race to produce cash crops such as fruit, spices, sugar tobacco, soap, rubber, paper,
and cloth has given cause to many to try to farm them by using soil and other products that can
be retrieved by destroying the forests. Even those in industrialized countries may participate in
the destruction of forests in the 3rd world. The need for products in industrialized countries
drives production in other poorer, less developed countries. This production is at the cost of the
trees and the services that they provide.

In addition to deforestation around the globe, the most significant source of forest
around the world is disappearing in every country where they are located.
 Source: http://www.igc.apc.org/wri/wr-96-97/lc_f4.gif

The Effects

Deforestation presents multiple societal and environmental problems. The immediate and long-
term consequences of global deforestation are almost certain to jeopardize life on Earth, as we
know it. Some of these consequences include: loss of biodiversity; the destruction of forest-
based-societies; and climatic disruption.

What is Lost

Deforestation is causing a loss of biological diversity on an unprecedented scale. Although

tropical forests cover only six percent of Earth�s land surface, they happen to contain between
70% and 90% of all of the world�s species (Myers, 12). As a result of deforestation, we are
losing between 50 and 100 animal and plant species each day (Myers 12). Inevitably, the loss of
species entails a loss of genetic resources. Many of these species now facing the possibility of
extinction are of enormous potential to humans in many areas; especially medicine. As of 1991,
over 25% of the world�s pharmaceutical products were derived from tropical plants (Myers).
By contributing to the extinction of multiple species of plants and animals, we might be
destroying the cures for many of the diseases that plague the human race today.

The world�s forests, particularly tropical rainforests, are home to over 10 million members of
the "last surviving intimately resource-based cultures" (GFF 3). Given the importance of forest
products to the daily lives of forest peoples, the destruction of tropical forests entails the
destruction of tribal populations as a whole. Aboriginal people world-wide have had their land
literally stolen from them by governments and industries, whose intent is to turn "natural capital
into hard currency" (Dudley 11). As the Global Futures Foundation states, "there have been more
extinctions of tribal peoples in this century than any other�Even in the rare cases when forest
dwellers are compensated for this loss, the changes visited upon their cultures by the inexorable
expansion of industrial culture are devastating." Without a doubt, deforestation has had a
profound effect on cultural diversity throughout the forest regions, and ultimately, the world.

Erosion

The lushness of the world�s tropical forests is somewhat deceptive. Although these forests
assume to be lush and full, the underlying soils are very poor, almost all the nutrients being
bound up in the vegetation. The problem is that once forests have been cut down, essential
nutrients are washed out of the soil all-together. This leads to soil erosion. As of now, about 80%
of the soils in the humid tropics are acidic and infertile (Dudley 21). When there are no trees to
keep the soil in place, the soil becomes ripe for erosion. It dries and cracks under the sun�s
heat. Once the soil temperature exceeds 25 degrees centigrade, volatile nutrient ingredients like
nitrogen can be lost, further reducing the fertility of the remaining soil (Myers 14). Furthermore,
rainfall washes remaining nutrients into rivers. This means that replanting trees will not
necessarily help to solve the problems of deforestation; by the time the trees have matured, the
soil might be completely stripped of essential nutrients. Eventually, cultivation in the forest
regions will be impossible, and the land will be useless. The soil erosion will lead to permanent
impoverishment of huge land areas.

The social impact of soil erosion can be quite severe. Those who settle into the forest regions are
forced to move every year or so due to soil erosion. They find areas where they can cultivate.
When those areas are no longer good for growing, they move to another region.

Erosion washes away valuable minerals. This process could be controlled if the rate
of deforestation is reduced.

Source: http://www.teleport.com/~sunybod/images/erosion.gif

Flooding

Flooding is a quite serious consequence of deforestation. Clearing the forest dramatically

increases the surface run-off from rainfall, mainly because a greater proportion of the rain
reaches the ground due to a lack of vegetation which would suck up the excess rainfall. "Tropical
forests can receive as much rain in an hour as London would expect in a wet month, and a single
storm has been measured as removing 185 tonnes of topsoil per hectare" (Dudley 21). In tropical
regions where the forests are dense, flooding is not as serious a problem because there is
vegetation to absorb the rainfall. It is in areas where there is little vegetation that there is a
problem. Hence, to avoid the disastrous effects of flooding, tropical forests need to remain dense
and lush.

Climate Change

Although all consequences of deforestation are potentially serious, perhaps the most serious
consequence is that of climate change due to the loss of trees. Earth has an atmosphere which
contains a variety of gases, all in a delicate balance, to ensure life on Earth. One of these gases in
Earth�s atmosphere is carbon dioxide; a gas which helps moderate heat loss to outer space.
Insulating gases such as carbon dioxide are called "greenhouse gasses because their function is
much like that of the glass in a greenhouse: they allow solar heat into the system, but discourage
its escape" (GFF 3). Other greenhouse gases include methane, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrous
oxide, and ozone. If there are additional greenhouse gases, there will be a gradual increase in
temperature on Earth�s surface. This could lead to changes in weather patterns, sea levels, and
other cycles in nature that directly affect life on Earth (GFF 3).
The process of greenhouse gas increase is quite simple. Carbon dioxide levels increase for a
number of reasons; but one of the main factors contributing to the increase of carbon levels is
decay of woody material. The only way to help moderate the levels of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere is through plant life. Alive plants and trees absorb the carbon dioxide from decaying
plants and trees. With a decrease in trees and plant life (due to deforestation) it is much harder to
moderate these levels. Ultimately, the amount of carbon will increase due to a lack of plant life
present to keep the carbon dioxide levels in check. This whole process leads to an "albedo effect
which reflects more heat and light back into the atmosphere than would be the case if the sun
shone on green trees�" (Dudley 23). The bottom line is that the increase in the carbon level and
other greenhouse gas levels into the atmosphere leads to an increase in temperature, and
eventually a change in climate and weather.
 The effects of deforestation are widely ranging and can be irreversible if not
stopped.

Source: http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/8126/deforfin.jpg

Discussion

We as human beings may not understand the severity of the possible consequences that
deforestation poses. Since deforestation has had no severe effect on us yet, we ignore the
problem. Everywhere you go, you see pieces of paper on the ground, people using multiple
tissues to wipe their noses, and countless people pulling excessive amounts of brown paper out
of the paper towel dispensers in lavatories. These are just few of the sources of paper that we use
each day, without any thought whatsoever.

What we must realize is that the paper products we use daily could have been a part of a forest
which functioned to enrich and hold soil, absorb carbon dioxide, collect and recycle water,
release oxygen, and regulate climate. Some companies do plant trees to produce the kinds of the
products needed by industry to spare the older forests but many do not. By wasting paper
products, we are wasting forests. The simple fact is that the more paper we use, the more forests
need to be cut down to serve our paper needs.

Many people might not consider the possible consequences of deforestation serious. They might
say, "What if: a few people lose their homes; we experience a little flooding here and there; the
temperature rises a little bit; we miss out on a few new medicines; we kill off a few species
which we never knew existed in the first place; the soil loses its nutrients." Ignorant people like
these do not realize the severity of these consequences.

By destroying people�s homes, we are cheating ourselves out of having a more diverse world.
Flooding will cause billions upon billions of dollars in repairs; and those repairs will most likely
be done by the good old U.S., with our tax dollars. If the temperature rises a bit, this will throw
mother nature totally off course. It will affect farming, the tourism industry, travel, sea levels,
and much more. If what Myers found is correct and 25% of medicines come form the rain
forests, then there is a big change that with modern technologies that many more could be found.
Without knowing what is being destroyed, we might not be missing out on just a few new
medicines. We might be killing our chances of finding the cures for diseases such as Cancer,
Aids, Multiple Sclerosis, or a multitude of others. And if by chance we lose all of the nutrients in
the soil because of soil erosion, cultivation will be next to impossible. After thinking about these
consequences, try convincing anyone that the ramifications of deforestation will not prove to be
quite disastrous.

Forests were put on Earth for a reason; they help to maintain a delicate balance between all of
nature�s elements. By destroying forests through ranching, logging, farming, industrial
practice, etc., we are putting this delicate balance in jeopardy.

There is no cure for deforestation. Sure, many people talk of reforestation; however that is just
not a true solution. Although replanting the forests that have been destroyed seems like a good
idea, it actually does no good. Often times the new trees are not the same species as the originals.
Also, by the time the trees grow and mature, the soil has already lost much of the nutrients it
once had. Old forests and new forests are not the same and it is the old forest that need to be
protected.

The only way to ensure that we will not encounter any of the consequences of deforestation is to
stop destroying the forests all together. We would have to stop cutting down all trees, no matter
what our needs were. Since this is totally impractical as of now, the only thing we can do is use
forest products in moderation. However this idea of moderation needs to be put into practice
immediately. We as people should take care of this problem before it gets to the point where we
can no longer fix it. Instead of putting the problem on the back burner until we can no longer
ignore it, how about we remedy it now so it never threatens us to begin with. The sad fact is that
once the forests are gone, we won�t be able to fix the damage which we have caused.

Conclusion

So where can we go from here? There is no one easy solution as deforestation is caused by many
things. One option is decreasing the need for the amount of products that are harvested from the
rainforests. If all countries, especially developed ones, enforced programs that used recycling,
the need for disposable products would be diminished and the loggers would not have a business.
If the demand is cut off, there is no need for the supply. Other solutions involve money. One that
could help to alleviate deforestation is providing aide to foreign countries so they give homes to
those who are at high risk of becoming "shifted cultivators". The trick is convincing tax payers to
reach into their pockets. Another would be to appeal to the American public to settle for higher
prices on the cash crops that are imported to this country for cheap prices especially that burger
at the local fast food joint. If Americans are willing to pay more, corperations such as those in
the fast food industry can stop petitioning other countries to farm the rainforests for the
manufacture of the materials they need to make their products.

The immediate effects of deforestation may not yet be felt, but if this generation doesn�t feel it
the next generation and their children will be the ones to suffer. It is the actions of the human
race that can make or break the future of the planet. In the end everyone loses unless a solution
can be reached. This is easier said than done but the choices that lie ahead on this matter carry
severe consequences that will forever change they way that all things live if they are able to live
at all.

Terms to Know

Aboriginal People � People who were the original inhabitants of the land.
Atmosphere � The outer layer of gases that surround a planet.
Biodiversity � The variation in life forms that exists on the planet.
Developing/3rd World Nations � Countries that do not have the economic resources that other,
more economically powerful nations possess.
Ecosystems � Collection of life forms, the way they live and interact with each other.
Erosion � Land that becomes barren of nutrients and the soil literally "erodes" and is swept
away by the elements.
Evapotranspiration � Water is removed from the environment by transpiration and evaporation,
transpiration being the taking in of water by leaves on trees.
Global Warming � The temperature increase in the earth�s climate that is caused by an
increased number of gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide that retain heat in
the earth�s atmosphere.
Greenhouse Gasses � Gasses that trap heat and hold it in the Earth�s atmosphere, helping to
contribute to global warming.
Industrialized Countries � Powerful countries that have economic and technological resources
that other countries do not have.
Shifted Cultivators � People forced off their land who resort to making homes and farms in the
tropical forests.