Nowadays we are very much familiar with the word Deforestation!! What is it?? What are it’s causes?? How to control?? Let’s have a look!!
A forest is an area surrounded by a variety of dense vegetation. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s definition, forests amounted to 4 billion hectares (15 million square miles) in 2007. Or it covers about 30 percent of the world’s land area.
What is Deforestation?
Deforestation is the act of cutting down, clearing, or burning down naturally occurring trees for a reason or cause. Deforestation occurs for various reasons. We have disturbed the balance of the natural environment by cutting down trees in various ways for the needs or uses of mankind. At present, people are on the verge of cutting down trees mercilessly .They also cut down trees as they need wood to build houses.
I went and took away the habitat of many creatures. From small insects to large animals, everyone’s habitat is in crisis today. The forest is getting clearer after forest every year. If we look at the history and geography of the places where elephants are endangered, we can find out how the surrounding forests have taken over the habitat of various wild animals including elephants, and so they have to come to the civilized society in search of food. And that is where the conflict takes place.
Breaking the rules of the forest, we have built rail and road in the middle of the forest. That was not a problem. But from the day I handed over the ability to control my speed to the machine, the jungle has been endangered. Blinded by the fascination of speed, I have repeatedly hit the car with fox, vampire, khatas, benji, chital deer or other big animals. Almost every year many elephants are cut off by rail.
People are constantly destroying forests to meet their needs, which is having a direct impact on the environment. Since forests are the main component of maintaining natural balance, deforestation is producing a negative impact on various elements of the environment. Such as –
- Soil erosion – The roots of the tree hold the soil tightly. Therefore, if the plants are destroyed, the rate of soil erosion increases through erosion and non-erosion.
- Decreased soil fertility – Organic residues do not accumulate in the soil as a result of plant destruction. As a result humus is not formed and the soil becomes infertile and productive.
- The depth of the river decreases – as a result of land erosion silt accumulates and the river bed fills up As a result, floods occur when there is a lot of continuous rain.
- Loss of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Balance – Deforestation increases the amount of carbon dioxide and decreases the amount of oxygen. The amount of carbon dioxide in the world is increasing at the rate of 1.5 ppm every year.
- Increase in temperature and decrease in rainfall – Deforestation is increasing the amount of water vapor and carbon dioxide in the air, which is also increasing the temperature. At the same time the amount of rainfall decreases. Climate change also occurs.
- Increase in the amount of natural disasters – When forests become treeless, the amount of natural disasters such as droughts, floods, landslides, storms, tidal surges, etc. increase.
- Desert Expansion – Forests prevent desertification. So when the forest is destroyed, the desert spreads.
- Ecological imbalance – deforestation causes many wild animals to lose their habitat.
Causes of Deforestation:-
Natural Cause:-
- Fire
- Storm
- Landslides
- Eruption
Human Cause:-
- Road construction
- Urbanization and industrialization
- Extraction of mineral resources
- Cutting wood and killing plants.
Control
- Reforestation
- Awareness program
- Government concern and planning to grow more trees
- Sowing seeds, where ever you go.
- Conserve plant community.
