United Arab Emirates University

College of Food and Agriculture

Department of Integral Agriculture
Natural Resources

Deforestation

Dr. Jaber Aldahmani

Course Section: 01
Student Name: Usman Speen Jan
Student ID: 201540261
Student Attendance No: 34

Spring – 2020

Table of Contents

1
1. Introduction 3
2. Causes of deforestation 4-10
2.1 Direct causes
2.1.1 Unsustainable wood extraction
2.1.2 Expansion of farming land
2.1.3 Fires
2.1.4 Urbanization/industrialization and infra-structure
2.1.5 Tourism
2.2 Indirect causes
2.2.1 Poverty
2.2.2 Overpopulation
2.2.3 International demand for commodities
2.2.4 Lack of effective law enforcement
2.2.5 Other causes
3. Effects of deforestation 10-13
3.1 Climate change
3.2 Water and soil resources loss
3.3 Decreased biodiversity, habitat loss and conflicts
3.4 Economic losses
3.5 Social consequences
4. Strategies to reduce deforestation 13-16
4.1 Green Business
4.2 Eco-forestry
4.3 Law and Regulations
4.4 Community Forestry
4.5 Replanting (Reforestation)
4.6 Land Use Planning
5. Conclusion 17
6. References 18
Summary Report 19-20

Introduction

Humans have always and probably always will depended on forests to a lesser or greater

degree. Trees provide food, shelter from the elements and predators not just to humans but

the vast majority of life on land. Deforestation is probably one of the greatest challenges we

face.

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Deforestation is also known as clearing or clearance of trees. It can be said to mean removal

of strands of trees or forests and the conversion of such area of land to a use that is totally

non-forest in nature. Some deforestation examples are the converting of areas of forest to

urban, ranches or farms use. The area of land that undergoes the most deforestation is the

tropical rainforests. It is important to note that forests cover more than 31 percent in total

land area of the surface of the earth. 1

Research reveals that majority of the tropical forests on earth are being destroyed. We are

almost at half the forest landmass in destruction. How would earth look life without forests?

It will be a total disaster if deforestation is encouraged. Deforestation is a human act in

which forests are permanently destroyed in order to create settlement area and use the

trees for industries like paper manufacture, wood and construction. A lot of forests have

been destroyed and the impact has been felt through climate change and extinction of

animals due to destruction of the ecosystem. The impacts of deforestation are adverse and

there is need to prevent and control it before it can get any worse. 1

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1
https://youmatter.world/en/definition/definitions-what-is-definition-deforestation-causes-effects/
2. Causes of deforestation
2.1 Direct causes

2.1.1 Unsustainable wood extraction

Unsustainable wood extraction includes all legal

and illegal logging conducted in an

unsustainable way that is, removal of timber

3
trees at rates higher than natural growth. Logging does not necessarily cause deforestation.

However, logging can seriously degrade forests. Logging in Southeast Asia is more intensive

and can be quite destructive. However, logging provides access roads to follow-on settlers

and log scales can help finance the cost of clearing remaining trees and preparing land for

planting of crops or pasture. Logging thus catalyzes deforestation. 2

2.1.2 Expansion of farming land

The needless expansion of farmland has become one of the biggest threats to the planet’s

ecological health. Throughout the developing world, farmers are expanding areas of

cultivation in an endless quest for fertile soil. In the process, critical wildlife habitats are

being destroyed at an alarming rate. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of

the United Nations (FAO), if current trends hold, by 2050 the world’s arable land will

increase by some 70 million hectares, and much of the new farmland will be on areas that

are currently forested. The risk is greatest in South America and Sub-Saharan Africa, where

populatio1n growth and food demand will hit tropical woodlands particularly hard. 3

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2
https://www.giz.de/en/downloads/Houaphan-Drivers-of-Deforestation-Report.pdf
3
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/07/killer-farms/
2.1.3 Fires

Each year, millions of acres of forest around the world

are

4
destroyed or degraded by fire. The tropics lost 12 million hectares of tree cover in 2018, the

fourth-highest annual loss since record-keeping began in 2001. Of greatest concern is the

disappearance of 3.6 million hectares of primary rainforest, an area the size of Belgium. The

data reveal that despite a growing number of zero-deforestation commitments from

governments and companies, primary rainforest loss hit record-highs in 2016 and 2017 due

to fires and remained above historical levels in 2018. 4

These fires not only alter the structure and composition of forests, but they can open up

forests to invasive species, threaten biological diversity, alter water cycles and soil fertility,

and destroy the livelihoods of the people who live in and around the forests.

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4
https://www.wri.org/blog/2019/04/world-lost-belgium-sized-area-primary-rainforests-last-year

2.1.4 Urbanization/industrialization and

infra-structure

As the population grows, the needs of

people increase which further leads to

5
deforestation. Forests shrink to a great extent to meet the requirements like for

construction of roads, development of houses, mineral exploitation and expansion of

industries. Increasing population directly affects forest as with the expansion of cities there

is a need for more land for housing and settlements. 5

Urban growth drives deforestation in at least two ways. First, as rural migrants to cities

adopt city-based lifestyles, they tend to use more resources. Their incomes rise and their

diets shift to a greater share of animal products and processed foods. This, in turn, drives

land clearance for livestock grazing and fodder, either locally or in other countries that

export such products or their inputs. Meeting the food needs of a rising and urbanizing

global population could require an additional 6.7–12.1 million acres of cropland per year. 5

A second, and likely lesser, factor linking urban growth to deforestation is that cities are

often expanding into areas of farmland and natural habitat, including forests. Cities

worldwide are growing by 1.4 million new inhabitants every week. Urban land area is

expanding, on average, twice as fast as urban populations. The area covered by urban zones

is projected to expand by more than 740,000 square miles between 2000 and 2030. 5

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5
https://www.greenbiz.com/article/how-urban-consumption-lies-root-deforestation
2.1.5 Tourism

The growth of mass tourism has led to a wide range

of environmental and socio-cultural problems

throughout the world. A central feature of mass

tourism is the use and conversion of large natural

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lands to built tourism-related facilities. Worldwide, forests and coastal zones are the

principal resources used for the construction of tourist facilities. On the one hand, forests

constitute tourism's natural capital and raw material; on the other hand, they suffer the

impacts from individual activities or facility development associated with tourism.

Deforestation is one of the most important global environmental consequences of mass

tourism development. 6

2.2 Indirect causes

2.2.1 Poverty

One of the saddest causes is the fact that many

subsistence farmers contribute to the removal of

trees out of desperation. Many farmers understand

that trees are important for the long-term health of

their land, but when faced with the immediate needs

of their families, they must take down trees for a

quick profit. Some people will harvest trees to turn into charcoal to quickly earn cash. In

other places, forest areas are cleared and burned to be used as extra land for farming. 7

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6
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13032917.2010.9687096
7
https://plantwithpurpose.org/poverty-
deforestation/
2.2.2 Overpopulation

As developing countries become

more integrated into the world

economy, they will place greater

demands on their own natural

7
resources and as a result, pollution and environmental degradation in recent decades have

been growing at a rate exceeding the population growth rate. For example, during the

1980s, the population of tropical developing countries grew by roughly 19 percent, while

their deforestation expanded by 90 percent. Industrial demand increases for wood, oil, and

mineral products found on forest lands.8

One of the greatest threats to the world's environment is the compounding numbers of

rural poor who turn increasingly to the rainforests to feed and shelter themselves. These

poor farmers are sometimes pushed off more fertile soils by large, wealthy landowners who

are capable of purchasing land or using political influence to gain title to land. Without

realizing it, these poor farmers are perpetuating their own situation by their role in

deforestation, which worsens their quality of life by increasing their chance of disease,

degrading their drinking water stocks, escalating soil erosion, and leaving their children

without the benefits of sustainably utilized forest. As the human population grows, the

quality of all forms of life plummets as people are forced to move into more and more

marginal lands with higher incidence of natural disasters (floods), crop failures, and disease.

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8
https://rainforests.mongabay.com/0816.htm
2.2.3 International demand for commodities

Skyrocketing global demand for commodities such as soybeans and palm oil is an

unrelenting force driving tropical deforestation. To address the risks to climate stability

posed by forest loss, corporate and government policies alike need to pivot from being part

of the problem to part of the solution. It’s ironic, that the primary driver of permanent

8
tropical forest loss is conversion to commercial-scale agricultural production. Vast areas of

South America and Southeast Asia are being cleared for beef, soy and palm oil. 9

2.2.4 Lack of effective law enforcement

Widespread illegal forest activities have contributed to deforestation, forest degradation,

economic losses to nations and injustices for forest communities in many countries.

Promoting rule of law, particularly through ‘strengthening law enforcement’, is an important

part of improving forest management and ensuring justice for forest dependent

communities. This includes strengthening police and the courts to better detect and punish

illegal forest activities. However, available evidence has shown that strong law enforcement

activities often fail to address broader systems of illegal activities and can lead to further

injustices. Corruption is one reason for these failures. Efforts to strengthen law enforcement

in the forests need to consider how corruption may interfere with successful detection and

suppression of illegal activities. If they are to be successful, programs promoting forest law

enforcement in corrupt contexts also need to be sensitive to how they are implemented,

with particular focus on the rights of forest dependent communities. 10

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9
https://www.greenbiz.com/article/demand-driving-deforestation-what-can-companies-do

10
https://www.cmi.no/publications/file/4834-rule-of-law-and-environmental-justice-in-the.

2.2.5 Other causes

Some of the other causes of deforestation are: clearing forests for oil and mining

exploitation; slash and burn farming techniques; hurricanes; parasites; floods and acid rain.

Large-scale deforestation for agricultural and industrial purposes transforms rich and

diverse habitat in barren arid land. The resources are quickly repeated and another massive
9
area of forest has to be destroyed to provide yet more. The damage to the land and soil has

been done and little can grow on these areas once they have been finished with.

Deforestation needs to be stopped before we end up with a planet that is little more than

an arid wasteland incapable of supporting life.

3. Effects of deforestation
3.1 Climate change
Forests store large amounts of carbon. Trees and

other plants absorb carbon dioxide from the

atmosphere as they grow. This is converted into

carbon and stored in the plant’s branches, leaves,

trunks, roots and in the soil. When forests are

cleared or burnt, stored carbon is released into the

atmosphere, mainly as carbon dioxide. Averaged over 2015 – 2017, global loss of tropical

forests contributed about 4.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year (or about 8-10% of

annual human emissions of carbon dioxide). 11

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11
https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/deforestation/

3.2 Water and soil resources loss

Forests play a crucial role with

regards to the management of the

water cycle. Forests are the factories

of clouds. While the structure of

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roots keeps the soil compact, vegetal organic material in decomposition combines with

minerals forming a sort of giant sponge which, following a slow, regular rhythm releases

water in surrounding areas. The loss of trees, which anchor the soil with their roots, causes

widespread erosion throughout the tropics. Only a minority of areas have good soils, which

after clearing are quickly washed away by the heavy rains. Thus, crop yields decline and the

people must spend income to import foreign fertilizers or clear additional forest. 12

3.3 Decreased biodiversity, habitat loss and conflicts

Forests especially those in the tropics serve as

storehouses of biodiversity and consequently

deforestation, fragmentation and degradation

destroy the biodiversity as a whole and habitat

for migratory species including the endangered

ones, some of which are still to be catalogued. Tropical forests support about two-thirds of

all known species and contain 65 per cent of the world’s 10, 000 endangered species. A very

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12
http://www.eniscuola.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/pdf_rain_forest2_deforest.pdf

important consequence of deforestation is the elimination of the gene pool, the permanent

loss of valuable plant and animal genetic resources. Many plant species of importance such

as valuable commercial species and source of pharmaceutical products are near extinction

as a result of deforestation. 13 Deforestation costs $4.5 trillion each year through the loss of

biodiversity. For example, half of all pharmaceuticals comes from genetic resources. 14 Also,

the destruction of wildlife habitat has drastically reduced animal populations and

productivity such that many rare species are now threatened with extinction. 13
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3.4 Economic losses

Deforestation can ruin the economy, but it can also help it, so this is why countries let it

happen. Although deforestation reduces the amount of tourists visiting forests, countries

still do it because there are so many resources that forests provide that can help the

economy. Timber is a huge part of the economy in manufacturing it for many different uses.

Also, many forests have resources such as palm oil, which is used in so much of our

everyday lives such as in a lot of food products. All of the resource’s forests can provide are

why countries continue to let deforestation occur even though it can hurt the economy in

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other ways. By destroying the forests, all potential future revenues and future

employment that could be derived from their sustainable management for timber and non-

timber products disappear.

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13
https://zambrut.com/deforestation-biodiversity/
14
https://www.thebalance.com/deforestations-economic-impact-4163723
15
http://deforestationapes.weebly.com/economy.html
3.5 Social consequences

Many people work in the industries that cut

down trees. If there were to be a law placed

on the ban of deforestation then all of the

employees will lose their job. This will result

in an increase in poverty because people

won’t be able to support their families.

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There will also be a global affect due to this. If there are jobs lost in one place than this will

cause a decrease in the amount of wood products produced around the world. If there is a

huge reduction in the production then more companies will close down causing more

people to lose their jobs. Essentially this will have a domino effect. It was surprising to see

how many people were unaware of this issue. 16

4. Strategies to reduce deforestation

4.1. Green Business

Green business concerns re-use and recycling.

Green methods of production and utilization of

resources can immeasurably reduce deforestation.

Particularly, it’s the focus on re-using items,

reducing the use of artificial items, and recycling

more items. Paper, plastics, and wood are linked

to,

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16
https://bandeforestation.weebly.com/social-impacts-of-deforestation.html

the destruction of forests and other natural resources. By focusing on recycling paper

plastics, and wood adopting responsible consumerism, it means there will be less

dependence on the natural resources and trees. It will also reduce government and

company imports of raw-materials from

forest regions in other parts of the world. 17

4.2. Eco-forestry
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Eco-forestry is a move on saving the worlds forest. It acknowledges that sometimes, the use

of trees for various human activities or reasons can be inevitable. Per se, eco-forestry

underscores the need of cutting down trees in an environmentally friendly manner. It is

where only cautiously selected trees are fell and transported with the least possible damage

to the area. Also, eco-forestry not only calls for the preservation of the forest regions

ecosystem but also allows for controlled and green timber extraction. 17

4.3. Law and Regulations

Due to the nature and extent of forest destruction, efforts to stop the human activities can

be complemented by laws and regulation at governmental and organizational levels. As

much as people increasingly become aware of deforestation consequences, some people

focus more on the immediate economic gains at the expense of the long-term

environmental damage. 17 This attitude has encourages illegal logging for timber and other

valuable

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17
https://www.eartheclipse.com/environment/fantastic-solutions-to-deforestation.html

resources like rubber and palm oil. Therefore, stopping deforestation and preserving the

natural vegetations demands rules, laws, and regulations from organizations and

governments to aid in enforcing forest preservation policies. Laws on timber, wood fuel,

farming, and land use among other forest resources must be advanced and enforced to limit

deforestation. 17

4.4. Community Forestry

14
Community forestry is whereby local

communities together with their local

government and other local organizations such

as schools, corporate, and universities join hands

to start localized tree planting programs and

management of their local forests. On various

occasions such as public holidays, opening ceremonies, environment days, or other periodic

localized activities, concerned local citizens can create awareness and plant trees. 17

This can be done within the surrounding areas as a method of boosting environmental

sustainability and keeping the local forests viable. All local learning institutions, hospitals,

local government headquarters, and the rest of the community can ensure trees are planted

and the local forests are protected against damage as a way of finding solutions to the

deforestation menace. 17

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17
https://www.eartheclipse.com/environment/fantastic-solutions-to-deforestation.html

4.5. Replanting (Reforestation)

Replanting or tree planting utilizes almost

the same aspect as community forestry.

However, it entirely focuses of replanting, a

feature commonly known as reforestation.

Reforestation is the restoration or replanting

of forests that have been reduced by fire or

15
 17
felling. It requires an ongoing process and should not be viewed as a onetime thing.

People, communities, governments, and organizations are all active actors. It involves

selecting and dedicating large tracts of land mainly for the purpose of cultivating forests. For

instance, in local communities and urban centers, it can be done around market areas, in

game/wildlife reserves, or within city parks. Replanting, therefore, qualifies restorative

measure of deforestation. 17

4.6. Land Use Planning

Cities and urban centers continue to grow day after day as more and more people claim

their share of living in cities and the urban areas. Agricultural practices also continue to

expand as farmers and consumer demands call for better productivity and quality food

products respectively. As a result, the urban sprawl and agricultural expansion have kept on

clearing forests to create more room for their respective activities. 17In response to this

threat, creation of proper land use planning techniques can offer the fastest and the most

feasible

solution to deforestation. 17

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17
https://www.eartheclipse.com/environment/fantastic-solutions-to-deforestation.html
5. Conclusion

This report explains what deforestation is and the direct and indirect causes, and describes

how it affects the ecosystem as a whole. Furthermore, it highlights strategies how to reduce

deforestation. Deforestation is the purposeful clearing of forested land. Throughout history

16
and into modern times, forests have been razed to make space for agriculture and animal

grazing, and to obtain wood for fuel, manufacturing, and construction.

Today, the greatest amount of deforestation is occurring in tropical rainforests, aided by

extensive road construction into regions that were once almost inaccessible. This is an issue

that everyone should know off.

At this crucial time, I believe social media platforms seem to be one of the main driving

forces that can help facilitate more immediate action to address all these issues. By

spreading information on environmental advocacy, awareness and education through social

media, we can strengthen our conservation efforts and better formulate strategies for

effective conservation of biodiversity on earth.

References

Internet

1. https://youmatter.world/en/

2. https://www.giz.de/en/html/index.html

3. https://www.weforum.org

17
 4. https://www.wri.org

5. https://www.greenbiz.com

6. https://www.tandfonline.com

7. https://plantwithpurpose.org

8. https://rainforests.mongabay.com

9. https://www.cmi.no

10. https://www.climatecouncil.org.au

11. http://www.eniscuola.net/en/

12. https://zambrut.com

13. https://www.thebalance.com

14. http://deforestationapes.weebly.com

15. https://bandeforestation.weebly.com/index.html

16. https://www.eartheclipse.com

Summary Report
This report talked about deforestation and looked at the reasons of why it happens,

whether it be direct or indirect. It further looked at the consequences of deforestation on

our planet and lists strategies to stop this problem.

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Forests cover about 30% of the planet. And the ecosystems they create play an essential

role in supporting life on earth. But deforestation is clearing earth's forest on a massive

scale. And at the current rate of destruction, the world's rainforest can completely

disappear within 100 years. Why should we care about deforestation?

Together forestry and agriculture are responsible for 24% of greenhouse gas emissions,

making deforestation a significant contributor to climate change. Deforestation impacts the

amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in two ways. First, when trees are felled,

they release the carbon they are storing into the atmosphere. Second, trees play a critical

role in absorbing the greenhouse gases that fuel global warming. Fewer forests mean larger

amounts of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere, and increased speed and severity of

global warming. In addition to helping regulate the earth's climate, forests provide habitats

for over 80% of the plants and animals that live on land. But deforestation destroys these

habitats, diminishing biodiversity.

Some estimate that four to six thousand rainforest species go extinct each year. This also

affects the more than two billion people who rely on forests as sources of food and shelter.

The biggest driver of deforestation is agriculture. Farmers chop down trees in order to plant

crops like soybeans, palm trees and cocoa, or to make room to raise livestock for beef.

Logging operations which provide the world's wood and paper products also cut countless

trees each year. Forests are also destroyed as a result of growing urban sprawl, as land is

developed for dwellings.

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The effects of deforestation are grave, but not irreversible. Efforts such as managing forest

resources, eliminating clear-cutting and planting new trees to replace those removed, are

already being made to reduce deforestation's environmental impact on our planet. And

while some plant and animal species are gone forever, combating deforestation can help

prevent further loss of biodiversity.

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