Deforestation
According to the political activist Mahatma Gandhi, "What we are doing to the forests of
the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another."
Deforestation is defined as “the action of clearing a wide area of trees.” Unfortunately, we are
losing many of our forests every year due to deforestation. There are many causes of deforestation
including agriculture, urbanization, and logging activities. As reported by Stanley, tropical
rainforests are experiencing the most deforestation of any other place on Earth because of road
construction and urbanization. Building not only but also upgrading roads into forests makes them
more accessible for exploitation. Some of the negative main effects of deforestation are soil
erosion, loss of habitat, and pollution.
To begin with, one of the important effects of deforestation for the environment, is soil
erosion. Soil erosion is when soil is unstable which can lead to harmful effects. The main effect
from soil erosion is flooding. Soil erosion can create natural disasters. The particular reason for the
circumstances is as the soil moves and disappears, and the forest won’t be steady. According to
Human Rights Careers, places with a lot of soil erosion are used to having more flooding,
mudslides, dust storms, and water pollution. “With their roots, fallen leaves, and branches, forests
shield the topsoil from these harmful elements. When trees are cut down, the soil is left
exposed.”(Soken-Huberty)
Another negative effect of the deforestation to the environment, is loss of habitat for
animals. According to Earth and Animals A-Z “Once their habitat is lost, they are on their way to
extinction. According to recent estimates, the world is losing 137 species of plants, animals and
insects every day to deforestation. A horrifying 50,000 species become extinct each year. Habitat
is an environment not only but also a place where animals and plants live and grow together.”
