Forests have a huge impact on the environment. Trees help balance the earth’s oxygen and carbon dioxide balance by absorbing carbon dioxide from the environment and releasing oxygen. Forests regulate the Earth’s temperature and rainfall, thus preventing droughts. Trees impede the speed of runoff at the soil surface. This prevents soil erosion and landslides, thus reducing the chances of flooding. Leaves that fall to the forest floor act as sources of nutrients that increase soil fertility. Forests also offer shelter from adverse environmental conditions to various forms of wildlife. In addition, forests are important not only from an ecological point of view but also economically. Firewood, commercial seal, rubber, raisins, medicines and other products for industrial use are obtained from the forests.
The overexploitation of forests by humans has continued unabated throughout the centuries. Increased urbanization has resulted in massive deforestation. The indiscriminate felling of trees to convert forest land into agricultural fields, for industrialization or mining, and the overgrazing of domestic animals contribute to the loss of this exhaustible natural resource. Various forest ecosystems are being converted into high-yield monoculture tree plantations.
Lush tropical rainforests used to cover 14% of the Earth’s surface. Now this value has been reduced to only about 6%. It is anticipated that the remaining tropical forests could disappear in the next fifty years.
The consequence is the loss of biodiversity. Many species of plants and animals have already become extinct. Others are also fading due to habitat loss. In addition to the loss of genetic resources, this also implies the loss of essential medicinal herbs and even of various aboriginal tribes. Other major impacts include soil erosion, flooding, and desertification.
Perhaps the most serious result is global warming due to the greenhouse effect. Increased deforestation has led to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons. This is heating the atmosphere and the temperature of the world is increasing. The resulting climate change would affect the growth of crops, animals, and forests. The sea level will rise causing devastating floods and, at the same time, severe droughts will occur frequently. Both agriculture and aquaculture will suffer. If timely measures are not taken to prevent it, the entire human race will be in danger.
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