The Importance of Ending Deforestation

Deforestation is only a fraction of what is hurting the Earth, animals, and us, but it is a major fraction that should not be ignored. Deforestation is the act of getting rid of a large portion of trees, oftentimes to allow for expansion or to gather materials for furniture and fuel. To do this humans have various methods they use. Some are basic, slow, but overall not terrible, while other methods release fumes and chemicals in the air that are harmful to humans. Either way, each method takes away the habitats of animals. By destroying trees and allowing deforestation to grow, animals who lose their habitats are forced into civilization to live or hunt and humans are hurt by the chemicals released by deforestation. People also are injured and killed due to scared animals who are only looking for food and shelter.

Humans take down forests in a variety of methods. This includes slash and burn, clear-cutting, and selective logging. Clear cutting is the most harmful to the environment because it means that nothing is left behind but the soil. This is the worst method in terms of consequences for animals; it’s a sure-fire way to level a habitat with little refuge for the animal. The most common method used by most is slash and burn. This is where the trees are cut down and then are burned (Abdulai 201). It still destroys the environment, but it also leaves the soil fertile due to the minerals released by the burned stumps. This is ideal for farmers who aim to grow crops in the area. Selective cutting is defined as “removing only a few marketable timber species but causing canopy damage resulting in carbon emissions beyond the biomass removed from the forest as product” (Cederberg). This is by far the most wasteful and most harmful of the three methods.

Animals are the main ones who are affected by deforestation. They constantly lose their homes and habitats from the dwindling of trees. This forces the animals into civilization where they can cause havoc and be injured in turn by humans. Although, some mammals do adapt to the modified environment such as the Macaca fascicularis and Macaca nemestrina which are types of primates. They are quickly able to change their diets and living structure to the shifting woods (Selective). However, not all animals are like that; many animals are unpredictable and can become very dangerous. One notable case is the sloth bear, which looks like a mix of a bear, sloth, and a dog. Although cute, they can be very dangerous and even kill humans.

“We interviewed 51 victims that were attacked by sloth bears between 2009-2017 to better understand the reasons for the attacks. Thirty-four of the attacks (66.7%) resulted in serious injuries, and there were 7 human mortalities (13.7%) reported. Most attacks occurred close to agricultural fields (66.7%) and during midday (1100-1400 hours). More attacks (64.7%) occurred when a person was working or resting in the field, or retrieving water for the field followed by attacks while watching overgrazing livestock (13.7%). Individuals aged 31 to 40 years (35.3%) were the most common victims of sloth bear attacks.” (Singh)

These attacks are not to be taken lightly. They were spurred on due to people moving in on their habitat, the fact that almost 67 percent of the attacks happened when someone was working in the field supports this. Lots of fields and farms are made after deforestation clears the way for them, so naturally, animals that used to live there or around there, are going to frequent it often and sloth bears are not the only ones. There are hundreds of animals, big and small, who are displaced by deforestation and can not easily adapt like others. In India, there are several cases of leopards attacking people and not all get out with their lives, “Deepali was the first victim, killed on July 26. Eight more deaths followed: a nine-year-old, a five-year-old and a 35-year-old woman in August, a six-year-old, a 13-year-old and a 22-year-old in September and a seven-year-old and a five-year-old last month” (Perry). Animals are nondiscriminatory, especially when they are scared and hungry. During periods like that, they are likely to lash out at anything and anyone, no matter of gender, race, or age. This is why it’s important to let animals have their habitats and stop encroaching in their homes. Unfortunately, these animals are usually killed if no one there is willing to dart them and bring them to a preservation site. However, even with animals dealt with, deforestation still poses a problem to humans themselves.

Humans are affected by the chemicals released into the air by the act of deforestation. From the act of burning the forest, not everything is burned. There’s still carbon left that, while some may decay, the rest can turn into methane and nitrous oxide (Cederberg). Although the after gases are harmless to people as long as they are not overwhelmed by it, the gases released during the burning is what is harmful to the environment and people. The gases released are fine particulate pollution, carbon monoxide, and sulfur oxide. It goes without saying that exposure to such pollution during pregnancy can lead to tragedy (Carillo 369). Yet those are the toxins and pollutants being released each time a company or a farmer decides to burn the forest for expansion. Particulate pollution alone can cause harmful effects since the particles being released are made of organic compounds and not suspended soil or dust, they are on a smaller scale; they can be inhaled deeper into the lungs as a result. This is noticeably harmful to children and others with weak respiratory systems (Ward 1697 - 1730).

Many people are reluctant to put an end to deforestation due to concerns about the expansion of their farms, or, believe that they can simply just kill the animals that pose a threat. These, however, are false notions. There are better and more economical friendly ways to expand with plenty of places. Also, killing the animals would put our future generation’s value for the Earth in question, the process has already started as well, as pointed out in the quote, “In Southeast Asia alone, estimated losses of 21–48% of mammals are predicted by 2100” (Poor 397). That would mean that in less than a hundred years, almost half of the mammals in Southeast Asia would be gone from the Earth, extinct. It may seem far off, but that is a single lifetime away; while some have lived their lives with these beautiful creatures, their grandchildren, or even direct children, would have never seen them. Instead of growing up with these animals, the generations after will only ever know these animals as extinct.

Deforestation is a matter that can not go ignored any longer. Not only does it kill the environment, but it also destroys animals homes, forcing them into cities and villages, as well as being harmful to humans through the fumes released during the most common method of burning the forest. The Earth is dying and this is one of the key contributors to it, as humans cut down mother Earth for expansion and money. To make a difference, people should defend the place where they live by emailing their senators and holding protests. Even if that’s too much, signing petitions can also go a long way if they’re the right ones. People must keep the environment and their children healthy for the generations of the future.

Works Cited

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