Deforestation: Destroyer of Habitats
By Joe Chu 1 Human demands for natural resources often disturbs an animal’s native habitat, crippling entire ecosystems and destroying everything from the lowly decomposers to the apex predators (“Climate Change”). Deforestation, or the process of destroying large quantities of forests by logging, fire, or farm expansion, is a major problem for animals; with humans destroying their habitat and food source, animals are seeing their only home destroyed and their species at risk for extinction. By destroying large swaths of land, deforestation practices obliterate the domain of a variety of species, effectively eliminating endangered species’ ability to recuperate, and often ensuring the region’s biodiversity remains permanently repressed. Destruction of animals’ native habitat remains a widespread and threatening factor of animal suffering and extinction, but an intricate solution can help bring this to an end. Deforestation’s direct impact is evident: annihilation of wooded areas with repercussions for both immediate and nearby environments. In tropical forests, the natural vegetation is particularly endangered. Loss of trees in once densely forested regions can cause a variety of ailments to the area including soil erosion and climate change (“Deforestation Overview”). Without large amounts of trees and roots to hold soil in place, water from precipitation can destroy the land by sweeping the soil away. Scientists estimate that because of erosion, “a third of the world’s arable land has been lost” (“Deforestation”). Climate change is an alteration in the global weather that can cause “large and potentially dangerous” weather patterns (“Climate change: Basic Information”). The forests are key to stopping and reversing climate change and without the trees, greenhouse gasses such as CO​
will drastically increase. Greenhouse gasses are 2​
trapped in the atmosphere and heated by the sun, causing a global increase in temperature. Large quantities of trees such as forests are a major deterrent of greenhouse gasses and when wooded Deforestation: Destroyer of Habitats
By Joe Chu 2 areas are razed in large quantities, climate change is accelerated. Climate change is perhaps one of the most dire issues facing all species as the sudden change in climate risks destroying species and entire ecosystems(“Climate change: Basic Information”). And by destroying trees—buffers to this mass­extinction—we increase the rate of greenhouse gases and trap heat and other dangerous climate conditions in our atmosphere. Deforestation destroys not only forests and trees but also the farmable land and the global ecosystem. Deforestation has dire consequences for the animals that lived in the cleared forest. Especially for animals living in tropical forests—an extremely biologically­diverse area with high rates of deforestation—extinction is so frequent that many species that have not yet been identified are being wiped out before their discovery can be made (Effects of Deforestation). Human actions cause an estimated loss of 27,000 species every year—3 species per hour (Modern Causes of Species Extinctions: Habitat Destruction). This xenocide has more than simply destroyed the animals within an ecosystem; it has demolished the land and created an unbalance in the biosphere in disturbingly rapid successions. Deforestation and its immediate effects on animal extinction are the result of human interference in the global ecosystem: a result that must be acknowledged and discontinued. To pull up deforestation by its roots, one must understand the general causes: consumption for energy, agricultural and residential expansion, and commercial utilization. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the majority of the trees cut down illegally are used for fuel. Other causes include demolishing forests for residential areas, using trees to manufacture commercial items, and expanding agricultural lands (“Deforestation: Facts, Causes & Effects”). Controversial methods of deforestation include “clear cutting” and burning trees; both of these Deforestation: Destroyer of Habitats
By Joe Chu 3 practices “leave the land completely barren” (“Deforestation: Facts, Causes & Effects”). Clear cutting is when the trees in an area are all cut down in a short span of time. The impacts of clear cutting are catastrophic on the local ecosystem. Burning is a tactic where forests are deliberately set of fire to destroy swaths of trees. Agricultural land expansion commonly burns trees to clear areas and is used to create nutrients in the soil for crops to grow in the land. However, this form of agricultural development is short lived, as the soil becomes less fertile over time, and the farmers move on to deforest another section of forest. Similarly, residential expansion uses both these techniques, clear cutting and burning, to clear land for urban developments. Commercial wood­based products use forest materials such as timber, which propel corporations to acquire vast quantities of trees quickly from deforestation. Commercial demand for agricultural products such as palm oil also forces farmers to extend their plantations, furthering deforestation. These major causes of land use and materials demand must be targeted in order to end deforestation. An effective solution to widespread destruction of forests can be achieved by informing and educating communities, targeting destructive corporations, and reforming government policies. To address malicious corporations and improve government legislations, community­focused groups must actively combat deforestation. Educating the general populace, from those who burn the wood for fuel to first world consumers, can raise awareness of the causes and effects of deforestation and mitigate it. Additionally, the way to combat larger corporation’s adverse actions and improve government policies is to educate the people and inform them of deforestation and its effects. By informing people of the detriments that deforestation brings such as climate change, erosion, animal extinction, reduced biodiversity, and other disparaging occurrences, the people will be able to make informed actions, raise awareness, Deforestation: Destroyer of Habitats
By Joe Chu 4 rally against the corporate injustices, and call for government legislations and policies to protect and repopulate forests. In 2009, the movement Kleercut protected the forests from corporate greed using only “the power of activists and market pressure” (“Kimberly­Clark and Greenpeace Agree to Historic Measures to Protect Forests”). The way the populace ended this deforestation was by actively disseminating literature, peacefully protesting to draw attention to Kimberly­Clark activities; 6 steps, including, “Don’t purchase Kimberly­Clark tissue products, Recruit businesses to become Forest Friendly, Call Kimberly­Clark right now, Send Kimberly­Clark an email asking them to stop the destruction of ancient forests, Sign up for the Forest Defenders e­news,” and finally “Get active in your community” (“Kimberly­Clark and Greenpeace Agree to Historic Measures to Protect Forests”). These steps embody a solution to end company malpractices: boycott the products of said company, contact that company, and spread awareness of the issues at hand. These steps are a simple way for everyday people to stop deforestation; the populus can change one corporation and one legislation, one at a time, to end deforestation. Virtually applicable to any large scale corporation, the 6 steps that were applied to take down Kimberly­Clark can be enumerated to boycotting and encouraging others to boycott the company, overwhelming the company with deforestation complaints, and highlighting the issue to bystanders in hope they too will join in. While this method is arguably lengthy and at times seemingly ineffective, if enough people join in to raise awareness, the company can be stopped. If this process is repeated enough, competitors more quickly adapt and the entire practice of deforestation for economic gains can be stalled if not halted. Company transparency and even whistle­blowing can help expose and protect the future forests to remain intact from economic Deforestation: Destroyer of Habitats
By Joe Chu 5 interests. However, for deforestation to remain untempting, serious repercussions must be put into place: the enterprises must be legally, socially, or economically accountable. Government­based legislations can also be strong deterrents to deforestation. These legislations can vary from improving company transparency to creating policies to directly illegalizing and prosecuting deforestation. Government action can intimidate and thwart companies from considering deforestation as a viable option. While managing their property, owners of forested land can gain monetary benefits for restoring and for retaining forests including tax breaks and financial gains (“9.6.1 Policies Aimed at Reducing Deforestation”). These methods serve to eliminate private landowners’ desire to remove forests from their land; this would combat urbanization and unreasonable farmland expansion. Through introducing alternatives to people who deforest for a source of fuel, targeting company practices, and criminalizing deforestation, the rate of deforestation can be slowed or stopped. Deforestation is the largest threat to animal extinction due to its ability to efficiently destroy species, and complex ecosystems. This problem destroys the habitats of the animals, oppressing their chances at survival. Destroying forests also damages the global biosphere, slowly accelerating climate change; this phenomenon in, which climate is significantly changed can be devastating, shifting weather and the behaviors of every species including our own. Stopping deforestation will require dedication from the masses, integrity from the companies, and retributions from the government to the perpetrators. Deforestation can annihilate the world as we know it, but with meticulous action, it can be stopped. Deforestation: Destroyer of Habitats
By Joe Chu 6 Works Cited "9.6.1 Policies Aimed at Reducing Deforestation." ​
­ AR4 WGIII Chapter 9: Forestry​
. Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change, 2007. Web. 22 Apr. 2016. Bradford, By Alina. "Deforestation: Facts, Causes & Effects." ​
LiveScience​
. TechMedia Network, 04 Mar. 2015. Web. 14 Apr. 2016. "Climate Change." ​
System of Registries​
. Office of Air and Radiation/Office of Atmospheric Programs/Climate Change Division, 9 Sept. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2016. "Effects of Deforestation." ​
Effects of Deforestation​
. Pachamama Alliance, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. "Kimberly­Clark and Greenpeace Agree to Historic Measures to Protect Forests." ​
Kleercut.Net​
. Kleercut Campaign Team, 5 Aug. 2009. Web. 18 Mar. 2016. "Modern Causes of Species Extinctions: Habitat Destruction." ​
Modern Causes of Species Extinctions: Habitat Destruction​
. University of Michigan School of Natural Resources & Environment, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. "Solutions to Deforestation." ​
Greenpeace USA Solutions to Deforestation Comments​
. Greenpeace, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2016. "Deforestation Overview." ​
WorldWildlife.org​
. World Wildlife Fund, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2016.