deforestration

Uploaded by jebastella on May 18, 2012

Deforestation is the clearing the land of forest or trees and it is increasing as a global concern. In recent years deforestation has risen to dangerous levels. This reason is mainly due to the fact that most people have no idea what deforestation is.
Forests play a pivotal role in the stabilisation of the Earth's climate. The loss of forests, particularly tropical rain forests, changes local weather patterns which in turn affects global climate. If not rectified, these climatic changes will result in the extinction of countless species as well as endangering our own. Deforestation will reek untold havoc on the global community in the immediate future and its influence over weather patterns might result in our ultimate destruction.
The effects of deforestation on the environment are numerous. The reduction of forests upsets the entire ecological cycle. The forests are home to a number of plants and animals. When a forest is cut down, the whole cycle suffers. Most of all the forests act as a carbon "sink". That is they help to take in carbon, a green house gas, and offset its effect on the atmosphere. Also trees and plants on a forest can help to supply an alternative source of fossil fuels. Tree planting is also good for urban development.
Immediate action is necessary for the survival of the world's forests. A tree that has taken over two hundred years to grow can now be chopped down by a chainsaw in a matter of minutes. As the human race has now exceeded the six billion mark, the exploitation of this valuable resource has increased dramatically. Nations around the world have cleared away millions of acres of forests for the sake of timber, paper products, mining, and for grazing land for raising cattle.
Efforts to counteract the effects of seemingly endless consumption such as recycling and replanting have been implemented, however these programs have done very little to stem the tide against this massive deforestation campaign. Developed countries that can afford the luxury of conservation have initiated these programs; meanwhile poorer nations continue to decimate the world's forests with little or none consequence.