Deforestation (Definition, Causes
and Effects)
Definition:
The shrinking of forest
area, cutting down of trees to satisfy human need is known as deforestation. It
is the result of greed of people for demanding more land to build houses to
establish industries, to do farming and various purposes. Since ancient time to
till now the graph tells how the forest are has been decreased. It is necessary
to have 35% of land area covered by forest on earth, whereas this percentage
has come down in most of the land area. However good news is that still some
places on earth enjoy the pure environment due to excess of forest area more
than 35%. Deforestation causes many troubles like imbalance of atmosphere, soil
erosion, climate change (drought, famine and flood), disturbance in
biodiversity and threat to life on earth etc.
Causes of Deforestation:
1. Agriculture land purpose: Since world
population is increasing rapidly the demand for food is increasing as well. So it
needs large land area to produce food crops to meet the demand of vast
population of the whole world. That is why people cut down the trees to
generate new plain land for cultivation. Somewhere trees are burnt in to ashes
for the same purpose.
2. Infrastructure purpose: The second most
cause is constructing building, dam, road, railway, office, school and colleges
etc. to make our life easier and comfortable, which require a bigger part of
whole land on earth.
3. Commercial purpose: Many factories and
industries of small scale and large scale type are established day to day to
improve the financial condition of any nation. So numbers of these factories
and industries are multiplying speedily which shrinks the land area. Paper industry,
mining projects (OCP) are some of such industries.
4. Luxurious purpose: To lead a luxurious
life, the furniture plays an important role in every home. In order to get
attractive furniture, many valuable trees are cut down blindly.
5. Natural calamity: Sometimes it is due
to natural disaster like flood, cyclone, earth quake, drought, famine damage
and destroys forests completely. It also contributes towards minimizing forest.
Effects of Deforestation:
1. Imbalance of atmosphere: With
decreasing of forest area the pollution in atmosphere is increasing. The amount
of carbon dioxide has crossed its maximum limit which causes imbalance in
atmosphere. The production of oxygen has gone down too due to deforestation. Such
imbalance leads to failure of water cycle. Ultimately food chain disturbs for
which life gets affected on earth. The destruction of forest consequently,
increases the temperature of earth day to day causes for much fatal disease
like skin cancer.
2. Soil erosion: The tree foots held soil
tightly. Hence people plant tree on both sides of road to protect soil from
erosion. But as people cut tree blindly, it doesn’t help us anymore. Even a
flood can wash away the soil of sensitive places and fertile lends as well.
3. Climate change: Global warming affects
our climate directly due to destruction of forest area. It changes climate of
any place radically which impact on survival resources drastically. Water scarcity
and food scarcity are some of results of climate change in some places on earth
due to deforestation.
4. Disturbance in biodiversity: Since
beginning of earth all types of animal, birds and plants live together
depending on each other. But now it becomes hard to adapt with changing climate
for all living beings. So some animal and birds are almost extinct. Many plants
as well as many animals are struggling to survive. All these are the negative
result of deforestation.
My Opinion:
We people are the
intelligent animal on the earth. As we are the main factor for such alarming
situation, we have to take care of it as well. Every barren land must be
covered by forest with the help of every individual. A tree can serve many
generation but we people damage it for a little selfishness. So everybody must
be serious about deforestation and take a vow to create new forest.
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