Essay About Deforestation

Earth without forests is a picture that most people couldn 't imagine. Forests cover a great part of the planet 's land area. They are highly important to mankind and the natural world. However, deforestation has been swallowing our forests. Everyday a huge number of trees are chopped down everywhere throughout the world to utilize the timber as a major source of fuel, building materials, and paper items. Development and urbanization is forcing men to acquire forests areas. As population increases, the need for agricultural land has expanded through the years. The loss of tropical rain forest is more profound than merely destruction of beautiful areas. Deforestation has so many negative consequences on Mother Nature. The environment and the

According to a satellite imagery, it shows that deforestation in Malaysia is consuming the forests three times faster than the rest of Asia combined. (www.huffingtonpost.com). Based on a report commissioned by the Netherlands-based Wetlands International, it stated that over the last five years, Malaysia is uprooting an average 2 percent of the rain forest a year in Sarawak. This proves that issues about deforestation in Malaysia is no longer a joke, but is something that should be taken seriously. In fact, in the previous five years, 353,000 hectares (872,263 acres) of Malaysia 's peat lands were deforested, or one third of the swamps which have put away carbon from deteriorated plants for a huge number of years, and that is not all. According to a forest tracking tool developed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) researchers, there was an increase by 115% of Malaysia’s deforestation in the first three months of 2013. (www.thestar.com.my). Malaysia 's figure was also, sadly, the highest among five countries where deforestation was spotted, which is followed closely by Nepal (114%), Mexico (92%), Argentina (72%), and Madagascar (51%). Most scientists stated that the destruction of the Amazon, the rain forests of central Africa and in Southeast Asia accounts for more than 15 percent of human-caused carbon emissions blamed for global warming.

Trees are very important to the water cycle. Trees absorb rain water and produce water vapor that is then released into the atmosphere. According to the North Carolina State University, by stopping polluted runoff, the existence of trees lessens water pollution. The National Geographic Society stated that in the Amazon, more than half the water in the ecosystem is held within the plants. To add salt to the wound, deforestation also results in soil degradation and soil erosion. Roots of trees acts as anchor to the soil. Therefore, without trees, the soil is free to wash or blow away, which can lead to problems in growth of vegetation. Cash crops like coffee, soy and palm oil are usually planted after a clear cutting. Planting these types of trees can cause further soil erosion because their roots cannot hold onto the soil. Soil erosion also causes silt to enter the lakes, streams and other water sources. This can decrease local water quality and contribute to poor health of the people in that particular area. Many people believe that to counter deforestation, individuals basically need to plant more trees. In spite of the fact that a monstrous replanting exertion would help to mitigate the issues deforestation created, it would not solve them all. Plus, reforestation would not help with extinction due to deforestation, either. Associate professor of Environmental Science at Lasell College in