Hello! Welcome to my Civic Issues Blog. In this Blog, I will cover civic issues around the world. These issues will include local issues all the way to global issues. One of these global-civic issues is deforestation.
As the biggest plants on the planet, they give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilize the soil and give life to the world’s wildlife(RoyalParks). They also provide us with the materials for tools and shelter. Not only are trees essential for life, but as the longest-living species on earth, they give us a link between the past, present, and future. This makes trees very important and vital to keep a livable and sustainable world.
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to a non-forest use. Deforestation can involve the conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated deforestation occurs in tropical rainforests.
Forests still cover about 30 percent of the world’s land area, but they are disappearing at an alarming rate. Since 1990, the world has lost more than 420 million hectares or about a billion acres of forest, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations—mainly in Africa and South America. About 17 percent of the Amazonian rainforest has been destroyed over the past 50 years, and losses recently have been on the rise. The organization Amazon Conservation reports that destruction rose by 21 percent in 2020, a loss the size of Israel.
This is extremely worrying as 250 million people live in forest and savannah areas and depend on them for subsistence and income—many of them among the world’s rural poor. Also, eighty percent of Earth’s land animals and plants live in forests, and deforestation threatens species including the orangutan, Sumatran tiger, and many species of birds. Removing trees deprives the forest of portions of its canopy, which blocks the sun’s rays during the day and retains heat at night. That disruption leads to more extreme temperature swings that can be harmful to plants and animals.
While the numbers are grim, there is still hope. A movement is underway to preserve existing forest ecosystems and restore lost tree cover by first reforesting (replanting trees) and ultimately rewilding (a more comprehensive mission to restore entire ecosystems). Organizations and activists are also working to fight illegal mining and logging. Together, we can all make a difference by supporting tree-planting projects and looking for sustainably produced sources when we can.
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I’ve heard a lot about deforestation in regards to climate change, and it seems that often times it occurs in order to create land for cattle. This issue is a very interesting and important one and I look forward to reading more about it!
This is definitely an extremely concerning issue for us as a global populace. We rely on trees for oxygen, protection, and so much more. It’s good to hear that there are efforts underway to save the trees and reduce deforestation, but from what it seems these efforts along are not enough. I certainly agree with you on how large of a concern this is, and I hope those who can make a difference place a higher emphasis on this issue.
Like you stated, forests cover 30% of the world’s land area, and it’s crazy how much that number has fallen, especially in the last 20 years when industrialization and technology development rose to new heights. The graph attached at the end really shook me because we never really understand how much deforestation has worsened over the decades. Hopefully, more projects like the ones you mentioned at the end arise and leave a greater, more positive impact regarding reforestation and rewilding.