Deforestation And Biodiversity Loss

Before discussing deforestation and biodiversity loss, it is necessary to understand the basics.  Deforestation means cutting down or removing a lot of trees from forests. This often happens to make space for things like farms, cities, or roads, or to use the wood for building or making paper.

On the other hand, diversity loss refers to the reduction or disappearance of different species of plants, animals, and other organisms in an area. This is also called loss of biodiversity, and it happens when forests, oceans, or other natural environments are damaged or destroyed.

Why deforestation happens:

1. Farming Needs Land: People use trees for agriculture, farming crops, and keeping animals.
2. Building Cities: Customs involve the harvesting of trees to pave way for development at the expense of the forests, which involves clearing to pave way for houses, roads, and factories.
3. Cutting Trees for Wood: People use trees for wood and building materials, and yet they aren’t replanted as they should.
4. Natural Disasters: Storms and floods damage forests, reduce quantities of oxygen, and destroy plant and animal habitats. Storms and floods destroy forests, thus affecting plant growth and killing all sorts of animals.

What Happens When Forests Disappear?

1. Animals Lose Homes: Many animals, like tigers and deer, have nowhere to live when forests are gone.
2. Climate Changes: Trees absorb harmful gases. When they’re gone, the air gets hotter, and the weather gets worse.
3. More Floods: Forests protect the land. Without trees, rain causes more flooding.
4. People Suffer: Many people depend on forests to survive. When forests disappear, they lose their livelihoods.

What Can We Do to Help?

1. Plant More Trees: Encourage people for tree planting projects.
2. Protect forests: Stop illegal logging and cutting of trees.
3. Learn and Share: Teach people why forests and animals are important.
4. Support Alternatives: Explore other avenues of source of income aside from income-generating activities that have negative impacts on forests.

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