When we talk about deforestation, we talk about the cutting down forests that were once home to bustling wildlife. According to the WWF, these forests are home to 80% of the terrestrial biodiversity including animals, plants, and birds and are crucial to their survival - and human survival. So let’s take a deep dive into why these forests are so important and why deforestation is a real issue today.
Forests are one of the biggest storehouses of carbon after oceans. In the United States alone, forests sequester 800 million tonnes of carbon annually, about 12% of US annual emissions according to PennState extension (article linked below). Trees pull in carbon for photosynthesis, and although they release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere, this carbon is captured back in and released in cycles, making trees the most effective carbon capture technology. The wood stores more carbon than it releases making it a carbon sink. Even after a tree dies, the wood takes decades to decompose, continuing the storage of this carbon for years. Deforestation - especially in areas that act as an ideal carbon sink - is a risk for the environment as it disrupts this carbon cycle and reduces the amount of carbon sequestered. All this unsequestered carbon traps heat into the atmosphere, causing global warming.
These rises in global temperatures increase the risk of forest fires which slow down the rate of regeneration of the trees, leading to fewer forests, the loss of biodiversity, and the loss of human infrastructure. Not to mention, wildfire smoke is a mixture of hazardous air pollutants such as Nitrogen dioxide and ozone. Wildfires also release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which contributes to climate change. According to the World Health Organisation, wildfire events are becoming more intense, last longer, and spread wider, making them a real problem that we need to address today, and restoring forests can be a step in the right direction.
More reasons why we need forests.
Trees help mitigate the effects of climate change. Effects such as flooding from rising sea levels can be buffered by the forests, protecting communities.
Additionally, trees protect the soil from soil erosion. As we lose more fertile soil, producers move to the deforestation of more land to plant more produce, continuing this cycle of deforestation.
Forests are the home to an array of species, which lose their homes when forests are cut down. This also contributes to species endangerment or in extreme cases - extinction.
There are a hundred reasons why forests are so important for the planet and why we need to work on the restoration of these forests. However, with a rapidly increasing population, replanting forests at the same rate that they are being removed is getting more and more difficult. Deforestation is a real threat to our planet's survival and until there is strict legislation around deforestation around the world, it is a worrying issue for everyone. As for how you can help: try planning a tree-planting activity with your friends and family or write a letter to your local MP explaining the issue. Anyone can make a difference!
Here are some articles about how forests store carbon and some myths about climate change:
“How to write to your MP” and an email template about the climate emergency you can use:
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