ALL ABOUT:DEFORESTATION

Is the permanent destruction of indigenous forests and woodlands.

In other words Deforestation refers to the cutting, clearing, and

removal of rainforest.

DEFINITION:

WHAT ARE THE

CAUSES OF

DEFORESTATION?

CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION:1- Forests are cut down for many reasons, but most of them are related to money or to people’s need to provide for their families. The biggest driver of deforestation is agriculture. Farmers cut forests to provide more room for planting crops or grazing livestock.

2-Not all deforestation is intentional. Some is caused by a combination of human and natural factors like wildfires and subsequent overgrazing, which may prevent the growth of young trees.

Commercial Logging

Mining

Oil and gas extraction

Cattle ranching

MORE CAUSES:

Felling trees for agriculture reasons and for maintaining families.

Felling of trees for firewood and building material

Habitat fragmentation. This disturbs the animals' habitat and may force them to enter habitats which are already occupied. This can pose many problems such as territorial conflicts, homelessness, lack of food availability, etc.

Soil erosion occurs when trees and plants are removed; the rain water washes the nutrients in the top soil away.

Desertification (dry, hot, arid conditions).

Consequences of Deforestation:

Climate change (more carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, thus increasing the effects of global warming).

Pollution (ground, water and air pollution from oil extraction and mining chemicals).

Loss of culture. People who live in the rainforest depend on the natural environment for food, shelter, materials for cooking, clothing, etc. If the forest is cut down or if their environment becomes polluted from oil extraction and mining, they are forced to move or risk starvation and sickness.

MORE CONSEQUENCES:

Displacement of people (loss of farmland, forest resources, etc).

Social conflicts and struggles over land and natural resources.

Poisoning from oil waste

LARGEST RAINFORESTS WORLDWIDE:

Amazon Rainforest

MADAGASCAR

Southeast Asian Rainforest

WHAT WE CAN DO

TO STOP

DEFORESTATION:

What can we do to STOP or at least lessen the amount of deforestation and conserve our own use of natural resources such as wood, oil and gas, electricity, minerals and elements, and water? Brainstorm...here's a start:

Always use both sides of paper when writing, drawing, photo-copying, faxing, etc.

Recycle paper, cans, glass, and plastic.

Read the newspaper on-line.

Encourage your parents, relatives, and friends to buy furniture and wood that is Certified. That means the wood was legally cut-down.

If you buy a product and you notice they use wood chips to package it, write to the company and suggest they use another packaging material.

Join a group that is against deforestation and expand your ideas to you friends and the people.

Buy paper products made from recycled paper: notebook paper, paper towels, toilet

paper, books, etc.

Use pencils until they are stubs! Think of pencils as gold (you'll never lose them if you

do).

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ACTIVITIES:http://www.educaplay.com/es/recursoseducativos/672323/deforestation_games.htm http://www.educaplay.com/es/recursoseducativos/669341/deforestation.htm

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STOP DEFORESTATION