2. What is it?
Deforestation refers to cutting , clearing and
removal of rainforest or related ecosystem
into less bio-diverse ecosystem such as
pasture, cropland , or plantation.
Deforestation is permanent destruction of
indigenous forest and woodland s. the term
does not include the removal of industrial
forests such as plantation of guns or pines.
3. Importance
Forests play an important role in removing
CO2 from the air due to photosynthesises
Photosynthesis is a carbon sink
Carbon sink : any process that takes CO2
and stores it.
Forests need to remain intact or else the
atmosphere will have too much CO2
4. Types
There are 4 different types of Deforestation:
i) Natural reasons (i.e volcanic eruption) these
reasons are only occur for a small fraction
ii) Land clearing to prepare for crops to be
planted
iii) Commercial logging and timber harvests
iv) Slash and burn forest cutting for subsistence
farming
5. Causes
1. Logging
2. Mining
3. oil and gas extraction
4. Cattle ranching
5. Agriculture: Cash Crops.
6. Local, National, and International factors:
development, land titles, government subsidies to
attract corporations into developing countries,
trade agreements (NAFTA, CAFTA), civil wars,
debt, lack of resources, and lack of law
enforcement.
6. Effects/Consequences
Environmental impact
1. Habitat fragmentation. This disturbs the
animals' habitat and may force them to enter
habitats which are already occupied. This
can pose many problems such as territorial
conflicts, homelessness (loss of habitat), lack
of food availability, migration disturbances,
etc.
7. Environmental Impact
2. Soil erosion occurs when trees and plants
are removed; the rain water washes the
nutrients in the top soil away.
3. Climate change (more carbon dioxide is
released into the atmosphere, thus increasing
the effects of global warming).
4. Pollution (ground, water and air pollution
from oil extraction and mining chemicals
8. Social impact
Social conflicts and struggles over land and
natural resources.
Conflicts over racial and ethnic rights.
Poisoning from oil and mining waste.
Economic uncertainty (price fluctuations and
high interest rates on outstanding
international loans with The World Bank and
International Monetary Fund.
9. Climate Change
Deforestation has a huge impact on global
warming
Causes 20% of the greenhouse gas emissions –
more than all the automobiles in the world
combined
One of the main causes of climate change
2 million tons of CO2 enters the atmosphere
because of deforestation (audit 2003)
10. Solutions
Corporations/Markets
They can use forest products wisely
Implement paper saving laws and policies
Politics
Politicians can implement national laws to help
achieve zero deforestation
Consumer Power
As a consumer we can pressure the companies
to implement paper saving laws and policies and
be more eco friendly
11. Largest rainforest worldwide list in
descending order( from largest to smallest
Amazon basin of South America
Congo river basin of Central Africa
S.E. Asia
New Guinea
Madagascar
