Global warming
Deforestation and destruction of rainforests have several adverse consequences, the most significant being global warming, which occurs due to increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, in turn, raising the global mean temperature. Carbon-dioxide or CO2 is the main greenhouse gas. Trees absorb CO2 reducing its concentration in the environment. Conversely, forest clearance and wood burning add to the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. Destruction of forests implies lesser trees to absorb the greenhouse gas promoting global warming. Research indicates that deforestation, biomass burning and other land use practices account for over 18 percent of enhanced radiative forces causing global warming, far outweighing the effects of carbon emissions from planes, automobiles and factories With the extent of deforestation worldwide, its impact on global warming knows no bounds. For example, 500 million tonnes of CO2 were released into the atmosphere as a consequence of the 1987 burning of the Amazon rain forest. In another instance, the forest fires of Indonesia in 1997 consumed over a million hectares of forest land created a cloud of smog over all of Southeast Asia, from Thailand to Philippines, for over a month, in addition to their effect on global climate.
In addition to the broader impact of rainforest deforestation on climate change, its most immediate effect is soil erosion.Tree roots make gaps in soil to enable rain water to move through the soil before getting absorbed. The removal of trees and use of heavy machinery for logging compacts the soil, fills the spaces diverting air and water to the roots of plants making their growth and that of new plants difficult.
Only 10 percent Amazonian soils are of high-quality, rich in nutrients and deforestation and removal of vegetation causes these soils to be washed off easily by rainwater. Increased rainwater run-off further causes compaction, sheet erosion, surface lowering and gulleying on bare and agricultural lands decreasing crop yields of annual and perennial crops like corn, maize, coffee, black peer and silvicultural plantations, among others. About 860 million tons of top soil is lost by Costa Rica annually.8 Although loss of topsoil can be made good by importing huge quantities of fertilisers, purchasing the same poses a huge monetary burden on the economy. In Ivory Coast, forested slope areas are being lost at the rate of 0.03 tons of soil per year per hectare. While cultivated slopes lose 90 tons per hectare annually, the rate for bare slopes is 138 tons per hectare. Soil degradation and erosion have posed serious concerns for environmentalists, with studies indicating a 10 percent loss in soils natural fertility in the latter half of the 21th century alone. The worst, among these losses, occurred in Europe where 17 of soil has been damaged by human activity such as mechanized farming and fallout from acid rain. In Mexico and Central America, 24 of soil is highly degraded, mostly as a consequence of deforestation.
Arguments to conserve forests of the world Importance of Forests
Forests carry a different meaning and value for different people. For some, they are a means of recreation while for others their very source of livelihood. Forests are the source of important natural resources such as timber, minerals, fresh water and medicinal plants. Over 1.6 billion people rely on ecosystem services that forests offer, including food, clothing, medicine, shelter and subsistence agriculture.25 Trees absorb carbon dioxide purifying atmospheric air and regulating world climate.
Forests are essential for life on this planet and are home to most of the worlds biodiversity and endangered species. Despite their value for every form of life, over 36 million acres of forest land is lost every year causing adverse repercussions for the environment, wildlife and people dependent on forests for their survival.
Given the value of forest to human and animal life and the extent of deforestation, it is the need of hour to manage, protect and restore the worlds forests. .
Despite the loss of nearly half of the worlds forest, many forested areas are still being damaged and destroyed on a regular basis. WWF has undertaken many programs to restore degraded forests to a more authentic state. Their restoration not only involves planting more trees, but also returning forests to a state where they can continue to provide products and services such as improved water quality soil stabilization access to food, medicines and raw materials and stable sources of income for local people.31 WWF has undertaken forest restoration efforts combining human benefit with biodiversity conservation at the global level in association with governments, forest industry and local communities. Massive research is also being conducted to formulate recommendations on issues like monetary investment in tree planting and forest restoration.