Deforestation is the clearing or thinning of forests by humans, and it is a process that has been going on for thousands of years of human existence. It is especially heightened now due to new technologies that allow for the process to become a lot more efficient.

So, why are we clearing our forests? One of the main reasons is to make room for agriculture and animal grazing. The meat and palm oil industries are responsible for a very large portion of this. One type of deforestation involves slash-and-burn agriculture, in which forests are purposefully burned down in order to fertilize the ground and rid it of its weeds. But when it becomes infertile again in a few years time, cultivation shifts on to the next plot and the process is repeated. Another cause, perhaps the most obvious, is lumber. Wood gets used for so many things, such as construction, manufacturing, and fuel, and it is important for a lot of the products we rely on. Urbanization and road-building requires forests to be cut down, and so does mining. Also, wildfires are very destructive to forest environments.

But, as you can probably guess, the practice of deforestation is extremely harmful to the planet. For one, it results in massive habitat loss for all of the plants and animals that live in those forests. 70% of all land animals in the world live in forests, which is the reason why so many of them are threatened. Additionally, it can lead to drastic shifts in rainfall patterns, soil erosion, and decreased water quality because of how much trees regulate water. And also, very importantly, trees are some of the largest absorbers of CO2. If they get destroyed, then those greenhouse gases will go right back into the atmosphere and increase global warming by large amounts. The Amazon Rainforest alone makes up ¼ of all the absorbed CO2, so it is one of the most crucial forces in combating climate change. However, it just so happens to be one of the forests with the highest rate of destruction in the world. Lastly, many indigenous communities live in and depend on forests, so destroying them is very harmful to them.

To be perfectly clear, if you are reading this, you should know that deforestation is not your fault. A lot of blame gets tossed around to the common people of the world, but it is a complex issue that dates back to much farther than you have ever been alive. It is a result of industrialization and manufacturing that goes way beyond any individual’s reach. I want to do my best to make this education process informative and inspiring rather than accusatory. So if you do want to play a role in helping this cause, that’s great, but don’t feel like the onus should be on you. Supporting restoration efforts, reducing or eliminating your meat consumption, and buying from sustainable companies are great steps you can take. The bigger picture solution that needs to be put into place is legislation that prevents excessive deforestation, and a lot of the responsibility for this problem falls on political leaders and large companies.

Sources: Pachamama Alliance, National Geographic, WWF, ConserveEnergyFuture