What is deforestation and why is it so severe?

As human development rises, deforestation does too. Deforestation is the act of cutting down trees and shrubs to make room for new growth. It can also be explained as the purposeful clearing of forest land.

What is causing deforestation?

Deforestation is fueled by agriculture and wood extraction. Mining is another cause of deforestation, since trees need to be removed in order to break the soil. Climate change is also a big factor in deforestation. Since the climate is hotter, wildfires are more likely to occur and therefore burning more trees.

Why is deforestation bad?

Deforestation contributes to the loss of animal and plant habitats. When a forest is cut down, animals are displaced and if they don' find another habitat, they die. Another effect of deforestation is the increase of greenhouse gases. Since trees produce oxygen, cutting them down reduces the amount of oxygen and increases the amount of carbon dioxide.

Who is taking action?

Common solutions to deforestation include passing of laws that state how much and which trees you can cut down, reforestation, which is plating more trees, and sustainable alternatives for tree based products. Organisations such as TeamTrees have taken action to plant millions of trees.