The definition of Deforestation: Deforestation refers to the

decrease in forest areas across the world that are lost for
other uses such as agricultural croplands, urbanization, or
mining activities.

Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest: Deforestation in Brazil's

Amazon rainforest hits 15-year high, data shows. A report published
by Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) on Thursday
estimated that 13,235 square kilometers (8,224 square miles) of
forest was lost between August 2020 and July 2021
Effects: Disruption of Amazon Peoples' Livelihoods – Forest deforestation has a direct
impact on forest natural resources and ecosystem services. Cutting down rainforests
can harm habitat, reduce biodiversity and food sources, degrade soil, pollute rivers
and lands, and cause areas to dry out, all of which have an impact on the overall
productivity of humans and animals who live there.

• Less Rain and Moisture and more fires – The trees in the Amazon make their own
rainfall as weather patterns move from East to West. On a normal day the Amazon
releases 20 billion tons of moisture into the atmosphere seeding the clouds with
rain. Deforestation causes the forest to dry out and can cause drought and
wildfires.

• Reduced Biodiversity — When forests are destroyed, the species that reside
there lose their homes, habitat, and food sources. Every year, 100,000 species
are thought to go extinct in tropical forests. The extinction of one species in
an ecosystem might have ramifications for other species that rely on it. The
more biodiversity in a system, the more healthy and resilient it is.
Causes and effects of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest
Causes:Logging
Logging is one major contributor. Amazon hardwoods, like mahogany, are very
valuable and sell for high prices in the timber market. Loggers clear-cut hundreds of
acres at a time when harvesting trees. Even if these trees were replanted (which they
are not), the destruction is so vast that the forest would take decades to recover.

Farms
Soy farmers and cattle ranchers are also responsible for clearing large tracts
of land. In particular, soy is a hugely profitable market, and there are several
major companies importing soy from the Amazon. These companies do not
always follow the regulations set in place to protect the rainforest.

Cattle ranching
One of the leading causes of deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest is linked to beef
consumption. Vast areas of forest are cleared by cutting down trees and burning the
forest down in order to create pasture land for grazing cattle.
Destruction of the Rainforest
Brazil's Amazon rainforest covers over two million square miles. This is nearly eight times the size of
Texas!
Deforestation, which occurs when large swaths of land are completely removed of trees, is the most
pressing issue facing the rainforest right now. Every few minutes, a 200-football-field-sized area is
cleaned. Nearly 20% of the Amazon has been destroyed in the last 40 years - more than in the previous
400 years since European arrival! The Amazon is, of course, a protected area, but Brazil's
Environmental Protection Agency (IBAMA) is badly understaffed and ill-equipped to deal with all of
the unlawful operations that contribute to deforestation.

Solution to deforestation:
• Government Regulations
• Banning Clear-Cutting of Forests
• Reforestation and Afforestation
• Reduce Consumption of Paper. ...
• Educate Others
• Eat Less Meat
• Purchase from Sustainable, Forest-Friendly Companies
• Reduce Consumption of Deforestation Prone Products