The number of people is constantly increasing. According to statistics, we are already more than 7 billion people, according to some forecasts in 100 years we will already be 27 billion. However, today there is a lack of land resources. About 70% of the world's population is concentrated on only 7% of the land, the rest of the territories are arid deserts, mountain ranges and permafrost lands, or are simply not suitable for life.
Therefore, for the sake of satisfying his needs, man began to ruthlessly cut down forests, drain swamps ... Forests are not only a source of oxygen - the most important element of our atmosphere, but also a home for a huge number of living organisms. By cutting down forests, we have endangered the existence of not only flora and fauna, but the entire humanity.
However, humanity is in no hurry to fight for the preservation of natural resources. Today, only 13% of the land and about 2% of the marine territories are under protection. These lands, of course, are under protection, but you still need to pay attention to all the natural resources of our planet.
Latin America and the Caribbean
This region is very rich in forest resources, almost 50% of the entire territory is covered with dense forests, it is more than 890 million hectares. However, large-scale deforestation is taking place here - 500,000 hectares of forest are being reduced annually.
This is what the once dense and green rainforests in Brazil look like.
Brazil, state of Mato Grosso. In 1992, most of the state's territory was occupied by dense rainforests. 14 years later, in 2006, green forests were replaced by concrete walls and paved roads.
The Brazilian state of Mato Grosso in 1992 (left) and 2006 (right). Aerial photo, the forest is highlighted in a contrasting red color.
Representatives of the animal world also suffer from the reduction in the area. Populations of sloths, arachnid monkeys, long-tailed cats and other inhabitants of the rainforest have declined in large numbers.
Africa
About 17% of the world's forest area is concentrated on the African continent, in figures it is more than 670 million hectares. Until 2000 forest areas were reduced by 4 million hectares annually. Since 2000, this figure began to decline and reached the level of 3 million hectares. Despite this, deforestation in Africa is catastrophic.
Nigeria ranks 7th in terms of natural gas reserves, but the population still uses charcoal for domestic needs. For a hundred years, 81% of the forests have been destroyed here. According to some reports, in 15-20 years, forests in Nigeria can only be seen in photographs.
Deforestation in the eastern part of the Black Continent
Madagascar is a prime example of destructive deforestation. The once fertile lands of the island are now in a disastrous state - 94% of the land is dry, sun-scorched sands. An ecological catastrophe was caused by uncontrolled deforestation - since the moment the island was populated by people, 90% of the forests have been destroyed. But the nature of Madagascar is unique, most species of flora and fauna (about 90%) are not found anywhere else. For example, in the forests of Madagascar there are only 250 individuals of the silky siphik, one of the representatives of the lemurids.
Asia
Some of the most densely populated regions in the world are the countries of Central and South Asia, so the territorial issue is the most painful here. UN and UNEP experts in their reports emphasize that in a decade in the southeast of the region, 98% of forests will be destroyed. Every year, about 1.2% of the total forest area is cut down here for housing and agricultural land.
Myanmar ranks fourth in terms of the rate and volume of deforestation, in other words, the ecological situation here is very deplorable.
Site clearance for the construction of a palm oil plant in Indonesia
Because of this problem, a large number of animal species have suffered in this region, as their natural habitats are being destroyed. For example, the population of orangutans in Borneo has dropped 80% over the past 75 years.
Europe
The most extensive areas occupied by forests are, of course, in Russia. In the European region, the issue of deforestation is not as catastrophic as in the whole world, however, this does not mean that it should be ignored. In Western Europe, numerous programs are being developed to recover lost resources.
However, previously caused damage to wildlife is difficult to compensate. The reduction of hunting grounds and habitats has led to the threat of extinction of many species of animals - the Amur tiger, Far Eastern leopard, Pallas cat, etc.
These examples are just a small part of how ruthlessly a person treats his home. If we do not seriously think about the preservation of our beautiful, amazing and unique nature, our descendants will get an empty planet, scorched by the sun and unsuitable for life.
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The economy of Russia is based on raw materials. One of the main resources that our country supplies abroad is timber. In addition to export, wood is actively used domestically as a building material, fuel, raw material for furniture factories. Mass deforestation in Russia has been going on for several centuries. The growth of new trees does not compensate for the decrease in forest area. All this leads to both environmental and economic problems. We will pay special attention to this when buying boards from larch (larch-board.rf), or from any other tree, remember - the forest, like all living things, must be protected, and the companies that cut down the forest and sell lumber must be controlled!
How is deforestation
A chainsaw is used to cut down a tree. After the trunk falls to the ground, only the stump remains. Small branches are usually burned. The trunk of the tree is transported by dragging. Small vegetation is destroyed on the path of the tractor. Young trees, which in the future could grow at the cutting site, break down and die off. The areas where felling took place can no longer recover on their own. Human involvement is required in order for a tree to grow here again.
Impact of deforestation on the atmosphere
Trees are able to absorb carbon dioxide, the production of which is growing rapidly due to the development of industry in large cities and the increase in the number of vehicles. According to scientists' forecasts, the content of CO2 in the atmosphere in the next 10 years will exceed the current one by almost 2 times. This is a very serious figure.
The emitted CO2 tends to create a greenhouse effect that can melt glaciers in the future. Coastal regions will be flooded in the next 50 years if the carbon dioxide situation does not change. In addition, the average air temperature rises. In the next decade, it will grow by about 2 degrees. This will seriously affect the health of the country's inhabitants, especially those suffering from cardiovascular diseases.
With an increase in the average air temperature, the range of its fluctuations increases during the day. This leads to daytime heat and frost at night, which also then leads to the death of plants and a deterioration in the well-being of people.
Impact of deforestation on soil conditions
Deforestation has a serious impact on the development of such a process as soil erosion. In places where trees used to grow, the soil was strengthened by their root system. There was a constant exchange of substances between trees and soil. The soil in treeless areas does not receive nutrients, which means it loses its fertile properties.
The development of erosion leads to the following consequences:
- Decrease in yields, which leads to higher food prices and negatively affects the country's economy;
- Silting up of rivers, and hence the extinction of fish;
- Silting up of artificial water reservoirs, which disrupts the operation of hydroelectric power plants.
An increase in the number of infectious and viral diseases
The main carriers of infections are insects, whose habitat is the layer of the forest. After deforestation, trees no longer hold back precipitation, insects begin to descend to the ground in search of moisture in standing puddles.
Desertification spread
Desertification is the process of "withering away" of nature, the absence of the possibility of the existence of living organisms and plants. Dead soil, lack of irrigation, dry air that cannot be breathed - all these are global problems that are among the most discussed in the world today.
Residents of many forest regions will be forced to change their place of residence after deforestation, but such places will become less and less. The current state of affairs can lead to a decrease in the population density of the country and even a gradual extinction.
Fighting deforestation
The Russian government, together with environmentalists, is pursuing a policy aimed at reducing the rate of deforestation and limiting the timber trade. The following projects are being developed:
- Refusal from paper in favor of electronic media. Waste paper is collected for the production of paper;
- Development of forestry, the purpose of which is the cultivation and maintenance of trees;
- Increase in the size of fines for deforestation in prohibited areas;
- An increase in the export duty on timber, which will make such a business unattractive.
Deforestation may be invisible to a city dweller, but its consequences are not. Natural resources should be protected. Otherwise, nature will stop caring about people in response.
Rainforests represent more than 50% of all green space on the planet. Over 80% of animal and bird species live in these forests. Today, the deforestation of the rainforest is taking place at a rapid pace. Such figures are terrifying: more than 40% of trees have already been cut down in South America, and 90% in Madagascar and West Africa. All this is an ecological catastrophe of a global nature.
The significance of the rainforest
Why is the forest so important? The significance of the rainforest for the planet can be enumerated endlessly, but let's dwell on the key points:
- the forest takes a huge part in;
- trees protect the soil from being washed out and blown away by the wind;
- wood purifies the air and produces oxygen;
- it protects territories from sudden temperature changes.
Rainforests are such a resource that renews itself very slowly, but the speed of deforestation is destroying a large number of ecosystems on the planet. Deforestation leads to sudden temperature changes, changes in air speed and rainfall. The fewer trees grow on the planet, the more carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere and. Swamps or semi-deserts and deserts form in place of cut down tropical forests, and many species of flora and fauna disappear. In addition, groups of environmental refugees appear - people for whom the forest was a source of livelihood, and now they are forced to look for a new home and sources of income.
How to save the rainforest
Experts today suggest several ways to preserve the rainforest. Every person should join this: it is time to switch from paper information carriers to electronic ones, to hand over waste paper. At the state level, it is proposed to create a kind of forest farms, where trees that are in demand will be grown. It is necessary to prohibit deforestation in protected areas and to toughen the punishment for violating this law. You can also increase the state duty on wood when exporting it abroad, in order to make the sale of wood impractical. These actions will help preserve the planet's rainforests.
Deforestation is accelerating. The green lungs of the planets are being cut down to take over the land for other purposes. According to some estimates, we lose 7.3 million hectares of forest every year, which is roughly the size of the country of Panama.
Vthese are just some facts
- About half of the world's rainforests have already been lost
- Forests currently cover about 30% of the world's land
- Deforestation increases annual global carbon dioxide emissions by 6-12%
- A forest the size of 36 football fields disappears every minute on Earth
Where are we losing forests?
Deforestation is occurring all over the world, but rainforests are most affected. NASA predicts that if the current scale of deforestation continues, the rainforest could disappear completely in 100 years. Countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Congo and other parts of Africa and parts of Eastern Europe will be affected. Indonesia is in the greatest danger. Since the last century, this state has lost at least 15.79 million hectares of forest land, according to the US University of Maryland and the World Resources Institute.
And while deforestation has increased over the past 50 years, the problems are rooted in history. For example, 90% of the indigenous forests of the continental United States have been destroyed since the 1600s. The World Resources Institute notes that native forests are largely preserved in Canada, Alaska, Russia and the Northwest Amazon.
Reasons for the disappearance of forests
There are many such reasons. As WWF reported, half of the trees illegally removed from the forest are used as fuel.
Other reasons:
- To free land for housing and urbanization
- Extraction of wood for processing into products such as paper, furniture and building materials
- To highlight ingredients that are in demand in the market, such as palm oil
- To make room for livestock breeding
In most cases, forests are burned or cut down. These methods lead to the fact that the land remains barren.
Forestry experts call the clear-cut method "an ecological trauma that is unmatched in nature, except perhaps for a large volcanic eruption."
Burning forests can be done quickly or slowly. The ashes of burnt trees provide plant nutrition for a while. When the soil is depleted and the vegetation disappears, farmers simply move to another plot and the process starts over.
Deforestation and climate change
Deforestation is recognized as one of the contributors to global warming. Problem # 1 - Deforestation is affecting the global carbon cycle. Gas molecules that absorb thermal infrared radiation are called greenhouse gas molecules. The accumulation of large quantities of greenhouse gases is causing climate change. Unfortunately, oxygen, being the second most abundant gas in our atmosphere, does not absorb thermal infrared radiation as well as greenhouse gases. On the one hand, green spaces help fight greenhouse gases. On the other hand, according to Greenpeace, 300 billion tons of carbon are emitted into the environment every year due to the combustion of wood as fuel.
Carbon Is not the only greenhouse gas associated with deforestation. Water vapor also falls into this category. The impact of deforestation on the exchange of water vapor and carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the earth's surface is the biggest problem in the climate system today.
Deforestation has reduced global steam flows from the land by 4%, according to a study published by the US National Academy of Sciences. Even such a small change in steam flows can disrupt natural weather patterns and change existing climate patterns.
A few more consequences of deforestation
The forest is a complex ecosystem that affects almost every living species on the planet. Removing forests from this chain is tantamount to destroying the ecological balance both in the region and throughout the world.
Vextinction of species: National Geographic says that 70% of the world's plants and animals live in forests, and deforestation leads to habitat loss. The local population, which is engaged in gathering wild-growing plant food and hunting, is also experiencing negative consequences.
Water cycle: Trees play an important role in the water cycle. They absorb precipitation and release water vapor into the atmosphere. Trees reduce pollution by trapping polluting runoff, according to North Carolina State University. In the Amazon basin, more than half of the ecosystem's water flows through plants, according to the National Geographic Society.
NS soil rosia: The roots of the trees are like an anchor. Without a forest, the soil is easily washed out or blown out, which negatively affects the vegetation. Scientists believe that a third of the world's arable land has been lost through deforestation since 1960. In the former forests, crops such as coffee, soybeans and palm trees are planted. Planting these species leads to further soil erosion due to the small root system of these crops. The situation with Haiti and the Dominican Republic is clear. Both countries share the same island, but Haiti has much less forest cover. As a result, Haiti is experiencing problems such as soil erosion, floods and landslides.
Countering deforestation
Many people think that more trees should be planted to solve the problem. Planting can mitigate the damage caused by deforestation, but it will not fundamentally resolve the situation.
In addition to reforestation, other tactics are used. This is the transition of humanity to a plant-based diet, which will reduce the need for land that is cleared for livestock.
Once upon a time, forests covered most of the land surface. With the growth of the number of people and the development of agriculture, and then industry, massive deforestation was carried out. The liberation of territories for plowing and burning of forests is still used in tropical zones.
The importance of forests for humanity
Invisible to the eye, but the most important role of trees is the production of oxygen. Wood species are good at collecting soot and exhaust gases, which saturate the atmosphere of industrial enterprises, cars, state district power stations, etc.
Forests supply mankind with materials for construction, raw materials for medicines, the production of alcohol, and paper. Large forests are home to numerous species of animals and birds, some of which are objects of human hunting. Trees block the path of cold air currents and strong winds that dry out the soil. In forested areas, soil moisture accumulates, which serves as the basis for the formation of streams that merge into rivers.
The problem of preserving forests is becoming more acute with the growth of the number of people and the increase in their needs for food, places for building cities, the consumption of forest resources and fresh water.
Forest groups
Forests are divided into several groups. According to their importance for ecology and economy, there are:
- Guarded and protective. These include forest belts, overgrown slopes, coastal areas, etc. These plantings serve to preserve soil and water bodies. Protective forests also include territories of sanitary and hygienic importance (forest parks and suburban areas), ecologically important areas (national parks, reserves, etc.). This group occupies approximately 17% of the total population.
- Limited exploitation. Natural and artificial plantings in places with a high population density. This category is 7%.
- Common use. These forests serve as the main base for timber and other forest products.
Why should forests be preserved?
A forest area is a living ecosystem in which there are no unnecessary elements. The disappearance of forests upsets the biological balance in the adjacent territory:
- waterlogging of low-lying areas occurs;
- on higher elevations, erosion begins (formation of ravines, overdrying, etc.);
- a large number of plants, animals, fungi, etc. disappear;
- the content of carbon dioxide increases, the greenhouse effect arises.
The answer to the question of what will happen if all the trees are cut down can be found in numerous examples of aridization of vast territories of the Black Earth zone of Russia. As the oak forests were cleared and the land was plowed in these areas, the climate changed since the beginning of the formation of the first human cultures. By the XIX-XX centuries. the territories were most strongly exposed to summer dry winds, which dry out crops and sometimes carry away the fertile plowed layer of soil. Unusually severe frosts in the European territory of Russia are also considered a consequence of the destruction of northern woodlands.
What is a forest for an ecosystem?
For the general ecosystem of the planet, trees are the only producer of oxygen. This gas is essential for the breathing of living things and regulates the temperature on the planet's surface. Reduction of plantings contributes to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and increases its warming. The evaporation of moisture from the leaves provides a suitable humidity for the air and soil, and deforestation disrupts the water balance.
Forest ecology is considered a branch of general environmental science. The study of communities is carried out not at the level of 1 organism, but at the level of interactions of different populations with each other and with ecosystems of territories adjacent to forests.
For the ecosystem of the planet, forests are an important component, on the normal activity of which both the climate and the diversity of species depend.
What does the felling lead to?
Deforestation is not only destruction. With properly performed sanitary or custom cuttings, the ecology practically does not suffer. Enterprises that carry out systematic timber harvesting carry out compensatory measures.
With predatory use, deforestation results in:
- to the extinction of species;
- to increased soil erosion;
- to disruption of the carbon cycle and global warming.
The damage done to the planet by deforestation
The speed of felling in the taiga and tropical zones is poorly compensated by restoration processes. Over the past 50 years, the area covered by forests has decreased by more than 2 times. Planted young trees, especially valuable conifers, grow slowly and cannot mitigate the effects of deforestation.
Consequences of deforestation
The destruction of forests in large areas leads to abrupt changes in temperature in winter and summer that are unusual for the area. In deforested areas, the frequency of precipitation changes, and the wind speed increases. When wood massifs are burned, large amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are emitted into the atmosphere. These effects contribute approximately 25% to the greenhouse effect. Aridization of the climate or waterlogging of soils in deforested areas is the reason for the resettlement of ethnic groups of the people themselves.
Problems with the ecology of forests
The ecology of the forest is disturbed when only 20% of the large trees that form its basis are removed. Broad-leaved and coniferous plants that have reached an age of several decades serve as a shelter for growing young seedlings. These elements of the system suffer from the wheels of the machinery used for the felling. But even without taking into account such an impact, the disappearance of protection from the sun and frost contributes to the death of a part of vegetation and animals deprived of food and housing.
The main reasons for felling
The reasons for deforestation are not varied. Most often, uncontrolled felling is carried out with the aim of selling commercial timber, which is used only for trunks no thinner than 15 cm in diameter. The rest is recognized as waste and is left in place in case of predatory felling. Branches and other debris serve as a polluting factor and environment for the development of pathogenic fungi and putrefactive bacteria.
In addition, felling can be of the nature:
- sanitary;
- caregiver;
- fire-fighting;
- common use.
With systematic measures, only part of the plants are harvested. Most often these are obstructing the passage, diseased or dead trees, too thick undergrowth, etc. Many types of such logging contribute to the maintenance of the ecosystem in a balanced state.
Cutting methods
Depending on the group to which the massif is assigned, only certain types of felling can be carried out in it. In protected protected areas, only sanitary cleaning is performed, removing diseased and emergency trees. Common plantings can be cut down completely with obligatory recultivation of the site. At the same time, where there was a felled forest, fast-growing species are planted.
It is carried out in different ways:
- selective felling of the forest allows you to remove only part of the trees that have reached maturity;
- with a solid one, the entire site is cut down, and then it is planted in order to get another batch of ripe wood in 15-20 years;
- gradual allows you to select trees in several steps.
Plant thinning
With this method, small and thickening trees are eliminated. This contributes to the ventilation and lighting of the array, the growth of more valuable specimens and increases the overall productivity of the array. The cut down trees are used as a technological raw material.
Complex
Promotes the restoration of forest quality and accelerates the reconstruction of the ecosystem. They remove less valuable species, giving opportunities for the growth of slow-growing valuable species, eliminate the competition of species for territory and soil. With complex felling, there is no destruction of forests.
Sanitary
Sick and dead trees are subject to removal. Deadwood contributes to the occurrence of fires, so felling can also be attributed to varieties useful for the massif. The sanitary group also includes carrying out fire-prevention glades in forest-park zones and landscape felling, ennobling areas for visiting by vacationers.
Statistics on deforestation in the world and in Russia
According to the statistics of deforestation in the world, about 20 hectares of plantations are destroyed on the planet in 1 minute. The most affected areas are the tropics. But the 1st place in the world in felling (4.2 thousand hectares per year) is Russia. On the 2nd and 3rd places are Canada and Brazil: both in the north and in the south of the American continent, more than 2 thousand hectares are destroyed. More than 1.5 thousand hectares are released annually in the forested areas of the USA and Indonesia.
Uncontrolled deforestation in a number of African states has already led to the disappearance of 70% of the continent's forest reserves.
According to incomplete statistics, more than 3 thousand hectares are cut down here every year. Almost all fellings are poaching and predatory and generate income from the sale of valuable wood species.
Legal and illegal logging
In Russia, felling is regulated by law. To issue a felling ticket, you need the following data:
- an indication of the reason and a statement;
- plan of the area and site for cutting;
- description of the species of plants to be cut down.
Cutting and removing trees without a felling ticket is regarded as illegal felling.
Global fight against logging
Some countries with forest areas impose restrictions on the use of forests in the national economy. But the most stringent measures were taken by the government of Norway: zero felling has been declared there. The country provides monetary support to organizations in tropical countries dealing with the problems of restoring massifs in their territories. It has also been officially announced that it will refuse to purchase forest raw materials from foreign producers.
Measures to eliminate damage caused by felling
The problem of deforestation is of concern to environmental organizations around the world. This is the reason why there are more and more protests against the deforestation of rainforests.
In the regions of Russia, residents of forest areas in Siberia and the Urals hold pickets and demonstrations to protect the areas adjacent to the cities.
These territories are often vacated for construction or road construction.
Reforestation measures include increasing the volume of plantations produced and protecting them from fires. Many territories with the presence of conifers are declared reserved or protected, and the number of such sites is increased due to artificial plantations.
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