Environmental Issues

Should Governments Regulate Deforestation?

5/13/2010
Alyssa N. Easton
Environmental Issues: Should Governments Regulate Deforestation? 1

Thousands of miles of trees are cut down every year. “Trees are what cool and

regulate the earth’s climate in conjunction with other such valuable services such as

preventing erosion, landslides, and making the most infertile soil rich with life”(Stock &

Rochen). For many years, deforestation has been a large problem, even though not all

people view it that way, or even know about it. It has been going on for a very long

time. Even the early colonists in America had to cut down trees to build their log

cabins. But they had an excuse. They needed shelter, and none was available

anywhere else. However, now we have no reason to continue cutting down so many

trees. We have other things to make shelter with such as bricks. The deforestation rate

has gone up much a lot since back then. It didn’t need to. And, although there are

some laws about it, it isn’t enough. People all around the world need to do more about

deforestation if they want to decrease it, because deforestation is a world-wide problem.

We cannot escape the consequences deforestation might bring.

Deforestation is the act of trees being cut down. Sometimes, it is due to

logging. Logging is when trees are cut down for the lumber that will be used in other

products such as furniture, paper, and pencils. Sometimes, it is for the land, which is

used for farms and the livestock, and also to build more houses for the rapidly growing

human population.

Brazil currently has the highest deforestation rate in the world, and it even has

some laws that encourage it! It was in first place for most deforestation two years ago

too. Nearly 60,000 square kilometers of trees were cut down, in the world, in
Environmental Issues: Should Governments Regulate Deforestation? 2

2005. That is about the size of Ireland! Lots of trees are cut down every year, and we

need to do something about it. Some places think it is great and a good way to keep

logging businesses in business, but others completely disagree with it. Different

countries and people have very different opinions about deforestation. I think that

governments should regulate deforestation. I think this because it pollutes the air, it is

one of the main reasons of loss of animal habitat, and it is bad for all the life around it.

We cut down trees to produce many things such as furniture, floorings, pencils,

buildings, and paper. Lots of these things are in high demand because - “Where would

we live without houses?”, and “What would we do without furniture?” “Schools need

papers and pencils to teach children, and there are lots of children.” Well, if each child

in the school has a workbook of 10 pages, and the school has 650 students, 6,500

pieces of paper are being used. We need to reduce the amount of papers being used

at school, and everywhere, but people still come up with excuses like- “Houses look

more elegant with wood floors and things don’t soak into them, and so on...”

Another main reason of deforestation is the constantly and quickly growing

population. We have to cut down trees to make room for these new people we are

welcoming into the world every second, or do we...?

We don’t! Instead of making houses longer, we can make them taller. There are many

solutions to this growing problem.

Air

Deforestation pollutes the air. It also leaves the ground without anything to

provide nutrients. Forests store carbon, a nonmetallic element found more or less pure
Environmental Issues: Should Governments Regulate Deforestation? 3

in nature (as in diamond and graphite) or as a part of coal and petroleum and of the

bodies of living things or obtained artificially. When forests are cut down or burned, the

carbon that the forest had been storing is released back into the air. We have to

breathe that air, which is why deforestation is bad for the air and anything breathing that

air. Also, trees provide us with oxygen. They absorb carbon dioxide and release

oxygen. Oxygen is a very important gas we need to survive. It is like food or water, we

can’t live without it.

Trees help the ground, too. They hold the soil together. When trees are

removed, erosion, floods, and landslides are more likely to occur. If you had a chance

to prevent one of those happening, wouldn’t you take it? But that isn’t all trees do for

the ground. Trees and forests make soil around them rich and wonderful with

nutrients. When the trees are gone, the soil starts to dry out. It will be infertile and

crumbly. Things won’t be able to live very well in the soil because it lacks the nutrients

it needs to survive.

Animals

Deforestation is one of the main reasons of loss of animal habitat. Animals all

around the globe are having their homes cruelly and mercilessly destroyed by us. It

would be like your home being smashed so other homes can be built where your home

once was. Lots of people want to “save the animals”. The best way to do this is to

make more laws about deforestation. We could even end it forever if we tried hard

enough!
Environmental Issues: Should Governments Regulate Deforestation? 4

Nearly 60 percent of the world’s biodiversity make its home in the jungles and

forests of Earth. This is why it is so important not to cut down rain forests, and trees in

general. Animals need their homes as much as we do. They are an important part of

ecosystems and environments. We need to protect them, not take their homes and

leave them without shelter.

Some animals have to live in a certain climate, or can only eat that certain type of

tree, so when we cut those trees down, that animal could go extinct, as many others

already have. People are working so hard to protect animals that they are forgetting

that deforestation is decreasing the animal population rapidly.

Life

Finally, deforestation is horrible for all the life around it. It isn’t really “good” for

anything! Nearly every living thing on the earth needs trees to survive. Trees provide

us with so many amazing things, that it is a big mistake to cut them down. They provide

us with many tropical and delicious fruits such as oranges or apples.

Trees contain things we put in medicines, and many more are yet to be

discovered. They are homes for countless numbers of endangered or common

animals. Shade is important, and trees make shade. Many businesses rely on trees to

keep the business running. Some examples of these are orchards, grocery stores,

plant stores and gardens at zoos and museums. But that isn’t all, trees are

wonderful. They are examples of Mother Nature’s beauties. They can be sold, and
Environmental Issues: Should Governments Regulate Deforestation? 5

used for decoration. They inspire lots of art. So, trees are very connected to everything

we do. Deforestation is taking away all those great things we have in life today.

Conclusion

In conclusion, governments should regulate deforestation because it is really bad

for the earth. It makes the air less clean, it is one of the main reasons of loss of animal

habitat, and it is bad for all the life around it. Trees are so important in our lives today.

They are important to almost everything. Without them, things today would be

completely different, and we might not even be here. Deforestation is doing us more

harm than it is helping.

Save the World!

There are also many ways we can try to stop deforestation. There are lots of

organizations you can join to fight against deforestation. There are many things we can

do to end deforestation. We can recycle all the paper possible to recycle, and buy

recycled paper. To keep the amount of trees the same, we can plant more trees. Those

are all good ways to save trees, and even though recycling may cost, remember, it is for

a good cause.

Most people do know that deforestation is happening, but what matters is your

opinion on it. Some people don’t consider it a problem, so they don’t really do anything

to stop it. It is a problem! Killing trees is slowly decreasing the animal population-

everywhere! Those people who think it is bad are on the right track. They understand

what is going on and are willing to stop it. Some people think it is great, and we all need

to convince them that it isn’t. People shouldn’t see papers as papers, but as trees.
Environmental Issues: Should Governments Regulate Deforestation? 6

We all need to do our best to stop deforestation. That is why more laws on it

would be a great idea. Everyone needs to know that deforestation is bad, and wrong. It

isn’t really good for anything except building shelter, furniture, paper, and pencils, which

could be built with other resources! It would be better to just end it all at once. Little

efforts every day can make a big difference. We should try to decrease it. If everyone

fights against deforestation, it will be lessened, and laws will be made!

Environmental Issues: Should Governments Regulate Deforestation? 7

Works Cited
Brant. (2008, April 22). How many trees are cut down every year? Retrieved April 15, 2010, from
Understory- The Official Blog of RAN: http://understory.ran.org/2008/04/22/how-many-trees-are-cut-
down-every-year/

Lopez, M. J. (2005, March). Paraguay : Deforestation Zero Law in the Eastern Region. Retrieved April 16,
2010, from World Rainforest Movement: http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/92/Paraguay.html

Medway Council. (n.d.). So what do trees do for us? Retrieved April 14, 2010, from Medway Council:
http://www.medway.gov.uk/index/environment/trees/5747.html

MIT. (n.d.). Brazillian Laws that Encourage Deforestation. Retrieved from

http://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2006/teams/r1/bad_laws.htm

Moran, A. F. (1993). Deforestation and land use in the Brazilian Amazon . Human Ecology .

Stock, J., & Rochen, A. (n.d.). The Choice: Doomsday or Arbor day. Retrieved April 18, 2010, from
University of Michigan: http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/deforestation.htm

World Rainforest Movement. (1998, December). Underlying causes of deforestation. Retrieved April 15,
2010, from World Rainforest Movement: http://www.wrm.org.uy/deforestation/indirect.html