DEFORESTION

FACTS, CAUSES AND

EFFECTS

Deforestation
is the permanent destruction of
f o r e s t s i n o r d e r t o m a ke t h e
land available for other uses.
An estimated 18 million acres
(7.3 million hectares) of forest,
which is roughly the size of the
c o u n t r y o f Pa n a m a , a r e l o s t
e a c h y e a r, a c c o r d i n g t o t h e
U n i t e d N a t i o n s ' Fo o d a n d
Agriculture Organization

Over the course of the

20th century the forest
cover of the
Philippines dropped
from 70 percent down
to 20 percent.
In total, 46 species are
endangered, and 4
were already
eradicated completely .

Mindoro Bleeding Heart.

Rufous-Headed Hornbill

Red-Vented Cockatoo

Palawan Flycatcher

Causes of Deforestation

There are many causes of deforestation.

TheWWF(World wide fund for
nature)reports that half of the trees
illegally removed from forests are used as
fuel.
Some other common reasons are:
*To make more land available for housing
and urbanization
*To harvest timber to create commercial
items such as paper, furniture and homes
*To create ingredients that are highly
prized consumer items, such as the oil
from palm trees

EFFECTS OF DEFORESTATION

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; not only do we lose
those known to us, but also those unknown,
potentially an even greater loss.
Seventy percent of Earths land animals and plants
live in forests, and many cannot survive the defores
tation that destroys their homes.
The trees of the rainforest that provide shelter for
some species also provide the canopy that regulates
the temperature, a necessity for many others. Its
removal through deforestation would allow a more
drastic temperature variation from day to night,
much like a desert, which could prove fatal for
current inhabitants.

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. Presently, the tropical
rainforests of South America are
responsible for20% of Earths oxygenand
they are disappearing at a rate of
4 hectares a decade. If these rates are not
stopped and reversed, the consequences
will become even more severe.

Water in the Atmosphere

The trees also help control the level of

water in the atmosphere by helping to

regulate thewater cycle. With fewer trees
left, due to deforestation, there is less
water in the air to be returned to the soil. In
turn, this causes dryer soil and the inability
to grow crops.

Soil Erosion and Flooding

Further effects of deforestation include soil

erosion and coastal flooding. In addition to their

previously mentioned roles, trees also function to
retain water and topsoil, which provides the rich
nutrients to sustain additional forest life.
Without them, the soil erodes and washes away,
causing farmers to move on and
perpetuate the cycle. The barren land which is
left behind in the wake of these unsustainable
agricultural practices is then more susceptible to
flooding, specifically in coastal regions.
Coastal vegetation lessens the impact of waves a
nd winds associated with a storm surge. Without t
his vegetation, coastal villages are susceptible

Ways to stop/counteract
Deforestation
So what can we do to counteract the
Deforestation
One easy way to combat deforestation is to
plant a tree.But you can take it one step
further by making sure the choices you make
at home, at the store, at work, and on the
menu dont contribute to the problem.Heres
what you can do about deforestation.
Plant a tree.
Go paperless.
Recycle and buy recycled products