Deforestation
Apes End of Year Project
What's the problem?
Deforestation is the removal of trees from a forested area.
Where is it most prevalent?
Deforestation is most prevalent in Central and South America, especially around the Amazon Rainforest.
What causes deforestation?
Direct causes of deforestation are wood extraction, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure expansion, like urbanization and road building. Agricultural expansion, mostly for subsistent purposes, is the biggest single cause of deforestation.
How is it harmful?
Deforestation causes habitat loss for many species, causing a loss in biodiversity. It also speeds up climate change by reducing the number of trees that can sequester carbon dioxide from the air. This increased climate change also leads to lessened biodiversity. Deforestation also leads to soil erosion, as plants that once secured soil are removed. (With soil erosion comes other problems, such as loss of fertility in the land.)
What can happen if we don't address it?
If we don't stop deforestation, all forests could be gone within 100 years. Climate change will increase to intolerable levels and will be harder to stop. Also, several species will lose their habitats, causing a loss in the biodiversity that we and our planet depend on.
What can we do to solve this problem?
Consumers can pressure corporations into more forest-friendly techniques by flaunting their purchasing power. (They can do this by only buying recycled/sustainably made products) Companies can introduce zero deforestation policies and clean up their supply chains. They can also introduce paper procurement policies. In government, global legislation can be made to protect forests, especially tropical ones.