Issues and solutions of Deforestation

Written by: Caroline Kim

Tuesday 11/2/21

Deforestation: a prevalent issue that seems to have become normalized. It’s the destruction and clearing of forests either by natural causes or by humans. Deforestation is inevitable in a way, but minimizing the practice would greatly improve the environment. Deforestation is currently occurring the most in the amazon rainforest. From last week’s post where I talked about climate change, you’d know that this is a huge issue. Deforestation along with climate change, can cause numerous issues such as erosion, loss of habitat (of animals), increased greenhouse gases, and flooding. Deforestation can be credited to farming, the grazing of livestock, mining, wildfires, and urbanization. In fact, you’ve most likely seen land being cleared for building new homes somewhere in your community. One of the biggest concerns regarding deforestation is the amazon rainforest. Within the past year, it lost over 10,000 square kilometers; for reference, that’s roughly 13 times the size of New York city. The majority of this is due to cattle ranching; this is the process of raising cattle on pastures, which is efficient, but clearly detrimental to the environment.

Fortunately, improved farming techniques, technology, and conscious practices can help restore forests to their previous state and health. In fact, it can be as simple as planting new trees, recycling, and using less paper. A farming technique to help maximize nutrients for cattle while maintaining land size is a certain grazing system: cattle graze on a plot of land and move onto another plot and rotate until the previous plots of land recover. As citizens who don't directly farm, consider avoiding palm oil, lowering your meat intake, and buying sustainable wood products. More conscious practice tips can be found on the homepage of this website under resources and top picks.

Citations:

“Effects of Deforestation: The Pachamama Alliance.” Pachamama Alliance, https://www.pachamama.org/effects-of-deforestation.

\Nunez, Christina. “Deforestation and Its Effect on the Planet.” Environment, National Geographic, 2 Nov. 2021, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/deforestation.

Derouin, Sarah. “Deforestation: Facts, Causes & Effects.” LiveScience, Purch, 6 Nov. 2019, https://www.livescience.com/27692-deforestation.html.

Butler, Rhett A. “Deforestation in the Amazon.” Mongabay, Mongabay, 4 Dec. 2020, https://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/amazon_destruction.html.

Fernando Ribeiro, Maria. “In the Amazon, a Farmer Practices the Future of Sustainable Cattle Ranching.” Mongabay Environmental News, 21 Oct. 2020, https://news.mongabay.com/2020/05/in-the-amazon-a-farmer-practices-the-future-of-sustainable-cattle-ranching/.