As large amounts of forests are cleared away, allowing exposed earth to whither and die and the habitats of innumerable species to be destroyed, the indigenous communities who live there and depend on the forest to sustain their way of life are also under threat.
The loss of forests has an immediate and direct effect on their lifestyle that we in the highly industrialized parts of the world, despite our own dependency on what the rainforest provides, will never know. The level of immediacy is exponentially greater for indigenous peoples. The governments of nations with rainforests in their borders often attempt to evict indigenous tribes before the actual clear-cutting begins.
This is one of the pre-emptive effects of deforestation. Global Commons. Effects of Deforestation The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines deforestation as the "permanent removal of standing forests. What Is Deforestation? Environmental Effects of Deforestation From Above Loss of Habitat One of the most dangerous and unsettling effects of deforestation is the loss of animal and plant species due to their loss of habitat. Increased Greenhouse Gases In addition to the loss of habitat, the lack of trees also allows a greater amount of greenhouse gases to be released into the atmosphere.
These facilities generate so much waste that they poison the surrounding air, water, and land , causing widespread health problems in nearby communities. And, the negative impacts of factory farm pollution extend far beyond just the surrounding area. Animal waste emits greenhouse gases that accelerate climate change and pose an existential threat to communities around the world. Scientists attribute most human-driven climate change to the greenhouse effect.
When humans cut down forests, more greenhouse gas emissions from industrial agriculture remain in the atmosphere, further contributing to the climate crisis. If deforestation and factory farming continues unabated, our planet, and our species, are headed for disaster. In general, human activity is the driving force behind deforestation. Several industries clear and develop forested land for their own purposes, including agriculture, paper, mining, and logging.
To feed the global demand for meat, meat producers convert ecologically important forest habitats into land for grazing livestock and growing animal feed like soy and corn. Tropical rainforests are the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world, providing home to species of vibrant orchids , tiny amphibians , and majestic great apes.
Their destruction threatens thousands of these unique plant and animal species with permanent extinction. Out of all forms of agriculture, cattle ranching claims the most forested land. Meat producers have cleared over 45 million hectares or million acres of lush forests to create room for their cattle to graze. The Brazilian company pledged to remove deforestation from its supply chain by the year , but these promises may be too little, too late.
Soybean production accounts for vast amounts of deforestation. Investigations into meat industry supply chains reveal the link between deforestation in Cerrado to factory farms the world over.
This takes away the habitats of several endangered species, such as the orangutan, the pygmy elephant, and the Sumatran rhino, pushing them even closer to extinction. While there are some efforts to harvest palm oil more sustainably, causing less harm to endangered species and their habitats, we can make the biggest difference by avoiding products with palm oil entirely. The Rainforest Action Network offers several resources for avoiding products and businesses that contribute to palm oil-driven deforestation.
Wildfires occur naturally in untouched forested land. While seemingly destructive, natural blazes actually promote the health of the ecosystem by clearing out dead organic matter and making room for new growth. However, when humans start forest fires, forest ecosystems can suffer from irreversible damage.
While some human-caused forest fires are accidental, farmers and other land developers sometimes intentionally start fires as a way to clear forested land. However, these uncontrolled fires can do more harm than good.
Fires can eliminate entire populations of plant and animal species in an area, throwing off ecological balance and decreasing biodiversity. Research has shown that the biodiversity loss resulting from slash-and-burn agriculture can actually have the opposite effect on soil health, resulting in decreased crop yields and profits.
A record number of fires turned the once vibrant, lush forests of the Amazon to ash in Investigators found that fires were three times more likely in beef-producing zones in the Amazon, pointing to the clearing of land for cattle ranching as one of the main culprits of forest fires.
Forest fires in the Amazon devastate animals and humans alike. The COVID pandemic disproportionately impacts the Indigenous peoples, as their immune systems may be less equipped to fight off the virus.
In Brazil, the combined threats of COVID and air pollution from wildfires has led to increased hospitalization rates for their populations. Around the world, logging companies harvest timber and wood from fallen trees. In some regions, national or international laws protect forested areas from logging operations.
However, companies continue to illegally harvest and sell timber from these protected areas. Timber trafficking continues to harm forests, as countries fail to enforce the laws meant to protect the Amazon and other forested lands. Mining refers to the extraction of minerals and other natural materials from the earth.
The mining industry is notorious for subjecting workers to extremely dangerous conditions, while also harming forests and the environment. While mining causes deforestation at a much smaller scale than agriculture , it generates high amounts of air and water pollution that contaminate surrounding environments. Paper is one of the most obvious culprits of deforestation—after all, paper is made from trees. In , the US paper industry produced 78 million tons of paper and cardboard.
Making one ton of paper requires 24 trees. A staggering As paper and other trash break down in landfills, they release methane—a harmful greenhouse gas that further contributes to climate change. In order to build structures for a growing population, urban developers turn to the logging and mining industries for wood and metals—encouraging these industries to cut down more forests for their operations. And, when people move from villages to cities, they consume more animal products and processed foods.
Large-scale industrial farmers convert surrounding forests for farmland in order to meet the new demand. Overall, the rapid, increased consumption and development associated with urban growth can spell disaster for forested ecosystems. Desertification occurs when land with fertile soil becomes an infertile desert.
Desertification can happen in response to natural phenomena, such as drought, but human activity can also play a role in accelerating the process. This happens when farmers over-cultivate land—excessively farming one tract of land to the point where the soil degrades completely.
Trees maintain nutrient-rich topsoil by protecting it from wind, rain, or other harsh weather. Therefore, the removal of trees through deforestation drives desertification. And, in a vicious cycle, desertification actually contributes to deforestation. Even though the damage is mainly done to tropical forests, the causes can be linked to eating habits all around the world — including here in the UK. Our footprint is mainly linked to soya grown to feed British reared animals. So the chicken and bacon in our shops may well be unwittingly contributing to global deforestation.
We help reduce forest damage in a number of ways. We co-founded the Forest Stewardship Council FSC , whose tick logo on wood and paper products helps shoppers identify and support sustainable forest management. Plus we helped bring in legislation to prevent illegal timber being sold in the UK. They all pledged their wood and paper would be legally and sustainably sourced by But since then deforestation has been on the increase, with the highest rate of deforestation in a decade recorded in This project will restore 5.
But your diet has the biggest impact. And experiment with plant-based ingredients instead — there are plenty of new, innovative alternatives on offer now. Also, make sure any palm oil in the products you buy is sustainably sourced — it may say RSPO on the label.
And of course you can help by being part of our global campaign to stop deforestation and restore our forests and jungles. Fundraising Block. Adopt Please select an elephant a lion a panda a turtle an african rhino an orangutan a dolphin an amur leopard a gorilla a snow leopard a polar bear a penguin a jaguar.
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