| Forests are one of the most valuable eco-systems in | | | | removal of forest cover for agriculture or urban |
| the world, containing over 60 per cent of the world's | | | | development, or it can be an unintentional |
| biodiversity. This biodiversity has multiple social and | | | | consequence of uncontrolled grazing (which can |
| economic values, apart from its intrinsic value, varying | | | | prevent the natural regeneration of young trees). |
| from the important ecological functions of forests in | | | | The combined effect of grazing and fires can be a |
| terms of soil and watershed protection to the | | | | major cause of deforestation in dry areas. In addition |
| economic value of the numerous products which can | | | | to the direct effects brought about by forest |
| be extracted from the forest. For many indigenous | | | | removal, indirect effects caused by edge effects and |
| and other forest-dependent peoples, forests are their | | | | habitat fragmentation can greatly magnify the |
| livelihood. They provide them with edible and | | | | effects of deforestation. |
| medicinal plants, bushmeat, fruits, honey, shelter, | | | | The most important direct causes of deforestation |
| firewood and many other goods, as well as with | | | | include logging, the conversion of forested lands for |
| cultural and spiritual values. On a global scale, all | | | | agriculture and cattle-raising, urbanization, mining and |
| forests play a crucial role in climate regulation and | | | | oil exploitation, acid rain and fire. However, there has |
| constitute one of the major carbon sinks on earth, | | | | been a tendency of highlighting small-scale migratory |
| their survival thus preventing an increase in the | | | | farmers or "poverty" as the major cause of forest |
| greenhouse effect | | | | loss. Such farmers tend to settle along roads through |
| Deforestation is the conversion of forested areas to | | | | the forest, to clear a patch of land and to use it for |
| non-forest land use such asarable land, urban use, | | | | growing subsistence or cash crops. In tropical forests, |
| logged area or wasteland. Historically, this meant | | | | such practices tend to lead to rapid soil degradation |
| conversion to grassland or to its artificial counterpart, | | | | as most soils are too poor to sustain agriculture |
| grainfields; however, the Industrial Revolution added | | | | Growing worldwide demand for wood to be used for |
| urbanization. Generally this removal or destruction of | | | | fire wood or in construction, paper and furniture - as |
| significant areas of for forest cover has resulted in a | | | | well as clearing land for commercial and industrial |
| degraded environment with reduced biodiversity. In | | | | development (including road construction) have |
| developing countries, massive deforestation is | | | | combined with growing local populations and their |
| ongoing & is shaping climate and geography. | | | | demands for agricultural expansion and wood fuel to |
| Deforestation results from removal of trees without | | | | endanger ever larger forest areas. Deforestation of |
| sufficient reforestation; however, even with | | | | all forms must be curbed by the developed and |
| reforestation, significant biodiversity loss may occur. | | | | developing nations of the world on a war footing. |
| There are many causes, ranging from slow forest | | | | The forests are the Earth's lungs and we need to |
| degradation to sudden and catastrophic wildfires. | | | | keep breathing. |
| Deforestation can be the result of the deliberate | | | | |