Deforestation has become a major environmental issue across the globe. Christina Nunez of National Geographic writes in an article titled “Deforestation Explained” the dramatic effects that deforestation has caused. Deforestation is the clearing of trees of a particular area. The article explains that “As the world seeks to slow the pace of climate change, preserve wildlife, and support billions of people, trees inevitably hold a major part of the answer. Yet the mass destruction of trees—deforestation—continues, sacrificing the long-term benefits of standing trees for short-term gain.” (Nunez). Deforestation must stop, or at least slow, in order to sustain human life. “Between 1990 and 2016, the world lost 502,000 square miles (1.3 million square kilometers) of forest, according to the World Bank—an area larger than South Africa. Since humans started cutting down forests, 46 percent of trees have fallen.” (Nunez).
Trees are a vital part of our planet as they absorb carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases. If trees continue to be cut down at the rate they are, they will not be able to absorb these gases and global warming will increase. Deforestation continues to be a determinant to the planet, and if deforestation resumes Earth may not be able to support human life over time. Also, deforestation puts many animals out of natural habitats, and forces them to move to the limited number of trees in some areas.
The causes of deforestation are “Farming, grazing of livestock, mining, and drilling combined account for more than half of all deforestation. Forestry practices, wildfires and, in small part, urbanization account for the rest.” (Nunez). However, not all deforestation is intentional. Wildfires, grazing, and other natural occurrences also contribute to the problem. These causes are mostly controllable though; if as a global society we become more aware of the problem, we can help save the trees.
Questions I have is what can be done? Is it too late to the deforestation problem? Christina Nunez claims that there is something that can be done and it is not too late.
“The numbers are grim, but many conservationists see reasons for hope. A movement is under way to preserve existing forest ecosystems and restore lost tree cover. Organizations and activists are working to fight illegal mining and logging—National Geographic Explorer Topher White, for example, has come up with a way to use recycled cell phones to monitor for chainsaws. In Tanzania, the residents of Kokota have planted more than 2 million trees on their small island over a decade, aiming to repair previous damage. And in Brazil, conservationists are rallying in the face of ominous signals that the government may roll back forest protections.” (Nunez)
Nunez explains how organizations are taking action and helping fight the problem. These organizations can be a tremendous help towards fixing deforestation and making Earth our home for years to come.
Works Cited
Nunez, Christina. “Deforestation and Its Effect on the Planet.” Deforestation Facts and Information, 25 Feb. 2019, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation/#close.
