My Deforestation Analysis

As I have been researching my topic of deforestation I have been amazed to see all that I’ve learned. I didn’t realize that I would end up receiving enormous amounts of information about this topic, as I did. Some of the things I learned were breath taking and I was astonished at how much of an impact deforestation makes on our world we live in. This researching assignment ended up making on my knowledge of how deforestation works.


At the beginning of this assignment I had questions in my head that I wanted answered as I researched this particular topic. First was: what are the basic causes of deforestation. I found that the main cause of deforestation is civilizations encroach on the forests and woodlands of the world. Cutting for timber is also a major issue. And because of this, vast miles of tropical forests are lost each year.

And the second question I had was why does deforestation happen. I inquired that deforestation happens when people clearcut a forest for the lumber or to grow crops. Sustainable tree harvesting reduces the impact from logging whereas deforestation causes erosion and loss of wildlife.

In all, deforestation is basically the clearing of naturally occurring forests by the process of people’s logging and burning of trees in a forested area. Deforestation affects many things. It is commonly believed that deforestation only has an effect on global warming, which is not true. Yes, it does have a great effect on global warming but not just global warming. Deforestation is cited as one of the major causes to the enhanced greenhouse effect. Tropical deforestation is responsible for twenty percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. the incineration and burning of forest plants in order to clear land releases tonnes of CO2, which contributes to global warming.

Deforestation also has an effect to the world hydrologically. The water cycle is also affected by deforestation. Trees extract groundwater through their roots and release it into the atmosphere. When part of a forest is removed, the trees no longer evaporate away this water, resulting in a much drier climate. Deforestation reduces the content of water in the soil and groundwater as well as atmospheric moisture. It reduces soil cohesion so that flooding and land slides result.

In many parts of the world, especially in East Asian countries, reforestation and afforestation are increasing the area of forested lands.[114] The amount of woodland has increased in 22 of the world's 50 most forested nations. Asia as a whole gained 1 million hectares of forest between 2000 and 2005. Tropical forest in El Salvador expanded more than 20% between 1992 and 2001. Based on these trends, one study projects that global forest will increase by 10% (an area the size of India) by 2050.

Researching this topic I was amazed at how important deforestation is and isn’t. In my own opinion I think that it is okay to use trees for what we need. Not what we want. Deforestation is an ongoing issue that is causing extinction, changes to climatic conditions, desertification, and displacement of indigenous people.