Deforestation refers to the cutting, clearing, and removal of forest.
What are the causes of deforestation?
I. Logging
II. Mining
III. Oil and gas extraction
IV. Cattle ranching
V. Agriculture: Cash crops
VI. Local, National, and International factors: development, land titles, government subsidies to attract corporations into developing countries, trade agreements (NAFTA, CAFTA), civil wars, debt, lack of resources, and lack of law enforcement.
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Statistics on Global Rates of Rainforest Destruction:
2.4 acres (1 hectare) per second: equivalent to two U.S. football fields
149 acres (60 hectares) per minute
214,000 acres (86,000 hectares) per day: an area larger than New York City
78 million acres (31 million hectares) per year: an area larger than Poland
On average, 137 species become extinct everyday; or 50,000 each year!
What are the consequences of deforestation?[]
Environmental
1.Extinctions (loss of biodiversity of microbes (bacteria), plants, insects, animals, indigenous peoples, etc.
2.Habitat fragmentation. This disturbs the animals' habitat and may force them to enter habitats which are already occupied. This can pose many problems such as territorial conflicts, homelessness (loss of habitat), lack of food availability, migration disturbances, etc.
3.Soil erosion occurs when trees and plants are removed; the rain water washes the nutrients in the top soil away.
4.Changes in watershed geomorphology.
5.Desertification (dry, hot, arid conditions).
6.Edge effects can change microclimates (small climates) which affect endemic species (native species which can only live in specific environmental and habitat conditions).
7.Climate change (more carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, thus increasing the effects of global warming).
8.Pollution (ground, water and air pollution from oil extraction and mining chemicals).
Social impacts
1.Loss of culture (indigenous peoples subsistence living in the rainforest). People who live in the rainforest depend on the natural environment for food, shelter, materials for cooking, clothing, etc. If the forest is cut down or if their environment becomes polluted from oil extraction and mining, they are forced to move or risk starvation and sickness.
2.Displacement of people (loss of farmland, forest resources, etc).
3.Social conflicts and struggles over land and natural resources.
4.Conflicts over racial and ethnic rights.
5.Poisoning from oil and mining waste.
6.Economic uncertainty (price fluctuations and high interest rates on outstanding international loans with The World Bank and International Monetary Fund.