Our Amazing Planet: The impact of deforestation

Grab your hiking shoes, because today we’re taking a trek through the rainforest. 

Don’t be fooled by the dark and seemingly deserted appearance of the forest floor - rainforests are absolutely teeming with life. The vegetation is so thick that it can take up to 10 minutes for rain to hit the ground! This provides plenty of food and shelter for all the species that call the rainforest home. It is because so many species rely on the rainforests for survival that deforestation is so damaging to biodiversity. When we cut down trees, countless species lose their habitats, depriving them of food, shelter and breeding grounds. This greatly increases the risk of the species going extinct. In fact, habitat loss is one of the main causes of extinction, and deforestation is one of the main causes of habitat loss. 

Another big problem caused by deforestation is flooding. Fewer trees means that it takes less time for rain to hit the ground and less water is absorbed by roots. By replacing forested areas with concrete, the ground also becomes impermeable, trapping water on the surface rather than letting it infiltrate through like soil would. Deforestation can also result in a loss of soil and soil fertility - when it rains, soil is easily washed away along with all the nutrients it contains due to a lack of roots helping to hold the soil together. This is particularly problematic in the agricultural industry as farmers have to increase the use of fertilisers to compensate for the loss of nutrients in the soil. Not only is this costly, the chemicals in fertilisers can also negatively impact the environment by causing problems such as eutrophication. In some cases, the land might become completely infertile altogether, degrading into desert, which is known as desertification. While it is possible, it can be difficult for the land to recover after this. 

And perhaps the most worrying part is that you don’t even need to be in the rainforest to experience the impacts of deforestation - we can all feel its impacts everywhere in the world. Deforestation causes around 10% of all global warming. Those of you living in tropical regions might have already noticed the changing rainfall patterns, and we’ve all felt the rising temperatures. The higher temperatures are also allowing diseases to spread further than ever. A good example of this is malaria, a disease native to tropical areas; cases are now popping up in new regions that were previously too cold for mosquitoes, the vector of malaria, to survive in. 

In other words, we need trees. Without them, we would lose countless species, the global water cycle would be thrown off balance and climate change would be a lot worse. So what can we do to help reduce deforestation? Undoubtedly the best thing you can do is to plant trees: whether it’s planting a tree in your garden or volunteering in a forest, replacing the trees that are cut down is the most effective way to combat deforestation. Planting native trees will be especially beneficial for your local wildlife. Or, if you’re not much of a gardener, you can also consider donating money to charities that will plant the trees for you. But just planting trees isn’t enough - we need to make sure that we also minimise the number of trees that are cut down. One surprisingly good way to do this is to reduce our meat consumption. Even if it’s going meat-free for one meal a week, cutting back our meat intake can make a huge difference. Choosing to buy from brands that use sustainably sourced materials can also help reduce your contribution to deforestation (looking for products with the Fairtrade logo is a great place to start). And, as always, action starts with awareness - you can help spread the word and even encourage your local community to take part in a tree-planting campaign! You never know - one tree could make all the difference. 

Credits:

Image - University of Leeds

Information - National Geographic, NCBI, WWF, Rainforest Foundation US