Dylan - Deforestation and why it occurs

DEFORESTATION AND WHY IT OCCURS

Forests cover 31% of the land area on our planet. They produce vital oxygen and

provide homes for people and wildlife.

Many of the world’s most threatened and

endangered animals live in forests, and 1.6

billion people rely on benefits forests offer,

including food, fresh water, clothing,

medicine and shelter.

The rise in deforestation globally is mainly due

to the growing population which calls for a

higher demand for food and natural

resources, such as wood, fuel, paper and oil

et cetra.

The biggest driver of deforestation is cattle ranching, where farmers cut forests to

provide more room for their ranches which is used for grazing livestock.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), an

estimated 18 million acres of forest are lost each year.



As you can see up to 60% of deforestation is due to cattle ranches then to

agricultures which is at 33%, these two seem to be the two biggest drivers of

deforestation. For specific detail, refer to the above diagram.

Livestock has been shown to be one of the main reasons that deforestation

occurs, because the land is very good for grazing livestock, that is why so many

ranches are being built there in the forest.

With the rate of deforestation increasing, many animals are gradually dying off that

would eventually go extinct within several generations.

In addition to the loss of habitat, the lack of trees also allows a greater amount of

greenhouse emissions to be released into the atmosphere causing devastating

effects such as global warming.

As you can see in the above diagram, the rate of deforestation in Borneo is

extreme. As you could also see the rate of deforestation in the last 65 years has

significantly increased. It is predicted that by 2020, very little of Borneo's

forests will remain.

Deforestation in Borneo

If people consumed less natural resources and encouraged their government to

protect the rainforests not only by law but also physically, to prevent illegal logging,

this catastrophe could be avoided.