The loss of Natural Resources
Once upon a time, rainforests covered about forty percent of the Earth’s surface. Sadly, rainforests only make up about six percent of the land today (Rainforest Facts). Desert areas such as Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon used to be covered with healthy forests before deforestation was introduced. Deforestation is the process in which forested areas are cleared faster than they can recover. When too many trees are cut down, elements are taken from the natural cycle and the balance of the ecosystem is impaired. The imbalance of the cycle threatens the plants, animals and humans that rely on the ecosystem for shelter, food, and protection. The loss of the trees also affects the natural cycles of the earth and corrupts the water, soil, weather, and atmosphere (Deforestation). All of the biotic features in an ecosystem are dependent on themselves and we need to protect this balance by protecting the trees.
The trees serve the environment by holding soil in place, protecting groundwater, and also providing food and shelter for thousands of species. The animals that would normally live in the trees would now be exposed, which would make them more susceptible to predators. Quite possibly, these species could become extinct and another element in the food web would be destroyed. The animals that would normally feed off of the trees or the species that lived in the trees would either have to find an alternative food source or starve, which would lead to their eventual extinction, as well. Then that would lead to the extinction of other animals and the order of the ecosystem is destroyed; everything is linked in one way or another. The uprooting of trees may also cause soil erosion, the loss of soil fertility and nutrients, and a drop in water tables.
Nearly half the world’s species of plants and animals will be lost or endangered over the next twenty-five years due to deforestation. We are losing approximately 50,000 species of animals and plants every year. By losing these species, we could be losing many possible cures of diseases. Presently, over one hundred prescription drugs are derived from different varieties of plants. Less than one percent of the plants in the world have been tested for possible treatments (Rainforest Facts). Aside from saving lives with medicine, trees are what make life possible at all. These trees go through a process called photosynthesis in order to make food for themselves. In the process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide mixed with sunlight and water to produce glucose and the oxygen animals and humans breathe.
Lumber companies are the biggest factor in deforestation. These companies strive to get as much lumber as they can so they can sell it and make a profit. The employees of the companies most likely do not care about the environment; they only worry about making money. When they get to a piece of forest, they most often use a method of logging called clear-cutting. Companies use this method because it is the cheapest and most efficient way of clearing areas (Logging). Another factor of deforestation is agriculture. Humans, mostly in tropical regions, cut down large spaces of forest and burn the debris in order to use the land for cultivation. This method is called slash-and-burn; it kills an immense amount of wildlife (Slash-and-burn agriculture). “It has been supposed by some observers that most deforestation is quickly compensated for by regrowth, and that areas cleared and then abandoned are soon covered with secondary forest. This conclusion is questionable since deforested areas are not usually abandoned nowadays” (Brown and Pearce 33).
One solution to deforestation would be to pass stricter laws on it, or at least, better enforce the laws already in place. The laws should involve set areas that are only allowed to be cut after so much time has passed in order to limit the amount of trees that get cut down at once. By doing this, the number of forested acres would drop dramatically. The forests would be able to revive themselves and be able to thrive again and provide for the environment as they once did. The disadvantages to this solution would be that it would be very time consuming to map out all of the world’s forested areas and set designated times of when it could be cut. Also, the production of wood would slow dramatically because the lumber companies would have to wait longer periods of time before being able to cut. As a result of the longer in-between periods, companies may decide to lay off their employees.
Another solution to deforestation would be to recycle more and we could use more wood-alternatives such as plastics. There are other effective methods of harvesting trees than clear-cutting. A method called “new forestry,” uses careful selection of trees to cut to help maintain the biodiversity of the forest; this still allows wood to be used for various applications. While this process takes more time and may not produce as much wood, it uses the forest resources in a way that does not completely demolish them. In addition to using trees to their maximum potential, it would also be beneficial if we could increase the amount of trees. Creating programs that plant trees in various locations would help this movement and creating more parks and reserves would not only increase the number of trees, but protect them as well.
Deforestation is a huge problem in the world today and it is only getting worse. We are losing the Earth’s greatest treasures just as we are starting to appreciate them. About one and a half acres of rainforest are lost every second. More than half of the world’s species live in the rainforests; one hectare contains almost one thousand species of trees. Humans have the power to slow deforestation rates drastically. We can enforce laws, recycle, use plastic instead of wood, use new forestry methods, and create more reserves. Without human cooperation to help think of alternative deforestation strategies, the health of our planet will continue to suffer and it will not be such a beautiful place anymore.
