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| Sunday, 28 November 2004 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Deforestation : It leads to our own destruction
Mother Earth has given so many responsibilities to trees. But, instead of appreciating what trees contribute to global ecosystems and the quality of life that all species enjoy - we humans destroy at least 500,000 hectares of forests every single week. Believe it or not, an area of forest equal to 20 football or rugby fields is lost every minute in the world. According to international reports Sri Lanka is likely to lose all its tropical forests by the year 2010 if no conservation steps are taken immediately. At this rate of destruction not only in Sri Lanka but also in other parts of the world all moist tropical forests could be lost by the year 2050.
What causes deforestation? There is no single, easy answer as there are many reasons at the root of deforestation. One is overpopulation in urban areas and developing countries. Population is continually growing in the world, and the demand for land, wood and supplementary products too keep growing. The logging industry worldwide is fuelled by the need for disposable products. Around 11 million acres a year are cut for commercial and property industries. The logging industry not only achieves all its targets but also indirectly helps the 'shifting cultivators' and others to do more damage, by clearing more lands. Another devastating force behind deforestation is grazing. With the international growth of fast food chains this seems to be an evident factor in the clearing of trees today. Large corporations looking to buy beef for hamburgers and even pet food opt for cheap prices. And this has led to the growth of cattle breeding, which in turn results in more grazing. Beyond these major causes of deforestation lie some supplementary ones that contribute to increase the odds against forests around the globe. Acid rain and the building of dams have their share of harmful effects.
Deforestation presents multiple social and environmental problems. The immediate and long-term consequences of global deforestation are almost certain to jeopardise life on Earth. Some of these consequences include loss of bio-diversity, the destruction of forest based societies and climate disruption.Deforestation is causing loss of biological diversity on an unprecedented scale. Although tropical forests cover only 6 per cent of Earth's land surface, they happen to contain between 70 per cent and 90 per cent of all of the world's species. As a result of deforestation we are losing between 50 to 100 animal species each day. Inevitably, the loss of species brings about a loss of genetic resources. Many of these species now facing the possibility of extinction are of enormous potential to humans in many areas, especially medicine. By contributing to the extinction of numerous species of plants and animals, we might be destroying the cures for many of the diseases that plague the human race today. Deforestation also leads to soil erosion. The social impact of soil erosion can be quite severe. Those who settle in the forest regions are forced to move every year or so due to soil erosion. They find areas where they can cultivate. When those areas are no longer good for growing, they move to another region.Flooding is a quite serious consequence of deforestation. Clearing the forest dramatically increases the surface run-off from rainfall, mainly because a greater proportion of the rain reaches the ground due to a lack of vegetation which would suck up the excess rainfall. Although all consequences of deforestation are potentially serious, perhaps the most serious consequence is that of climate change due to the loss of trees. Forests were put on Earth for a reason; they help to maintain a delicate balance between all of nature's elements. By destroying forests through ranching, logging, farming and industrial practices we are putting this delicate balance in jeopardy. What we must realise is that the paper products we use daily could have been a part of a forest which functioned to enrich and hold soil, absorb carbon dioxide, collect and recycle water, release oxygen and regulate climate. There is no cure for deforestation. Although replanting the forests that have been destroyed seems like a good idea, it actually does no good. Most often the new trees are not the same species as the originals. The only way to ensure that we will not encounter any of the consequences of deforestation is to stop cutting down all trees, no matter what our needs are. |
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Deforestation is the permanent destruction of indigenous forests and
woodlands. Deforestation has resulted in the reduction of indigenous
forests to four-fifths of their pre-agricultural area.
The race to produce cash crops such as fruits and spices and products
such as rubber, paper and cloth has given rise to the clearance of land
and to the destruction of forests. Even those in industrialised countries
may participate in the destruction of forests in the third world. The
demand for products in industrialised countries drives production in the
poorer, less developed countries. This production is at the cost of the
trees and the services they provide.
