You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

The problem of deforestation has been becoming increasingly serious in many countries. What might
be the causes of this and how to deal with this efficiently?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

DEFORESTATION –
BACKGROUND READING
Reading 1

Causes of Deforestation
 Mining. The increase of mining on
tropical forests is furthering damage due
to the rising demand and high mineral
prices. These projects are often
accompanied by large infrastructure
construction, such as roads, railways, and
power systems. This contributor to
deforestation is putting additional
pressure on our forests and freshwater ecosystems.
 Paper. America, China, Japan, and Canada make up more than of the world’s paper production—400
million tons a year. Approximately 640 million trees represent the paper that’s thrown away each
year, according to the Environment Paper Network. If we recycled, we could save 27.5 million tons
of carbon dioxide from going into the atmosphere. By using recycled paper, we allow the forests to
remain as an ecosystem and wildlife habitat.
 Overpopulation. Due to overpopulation, more land is needed to establish housing and settlements. As
well as many, many more roads and highways are being built in order to accommodate a larger sum
of people driving. With more people that come with a large need for food and farmland to grow on
and raise livestock—resulting in deforestation. Logging industries will cut down trees for furniture,
paper, building materials, and many more products. These are a direct result of growing human
population and is why it’s important to purchase from sustainable companies which actively work
against deforestation
 Logging. Wood-based industries such as paper, matchsticks, and furniture need a substantial quantity
of wood. Lumber and charcoal are common examples of trees being used as fuel. Cooking and
heating all around the world use these resources, and half of the illegal removal from forests is
thought to be used as fuelwood. Large areas are also cleared to construct roads in order for large
trucks to have entry to logging sites. Selective logging is where only the most valuable trees are
felled, however, this doesn't help our problem as one large tree may bring down surrounding trees
and thin the forest canopy. The forest canopy is extremely important to the ecosystem as it houses
animals, protects plants and insect population, and protects the forest floor.
 Agriculture Expansion & Livestock Ranching. A major cause of deforestation is agriculture
plantations. An increasing supply-demand for products such as palm oil and soybeans are driving
producers to clear forests at an unnerving rate. Farmers often clear the land for cattle by using slash
and burn techniques (cutting down trees and burning them). Unfortunately, they will then use the
 property until the soil is completely degraded and repeat the process on a new patch of woodland.
Eventually, it'll reforest, but it will take many years to return to its original condition.
 Cattle ranching and deforestation are strongest in Latin America. Over the past 40 years, forest area
has reduced my almost an astounding 40 percent. During the same period, 40 years, pasture regions
and cattle population have grown significantly and rapidly.
 Climate Change. Forests are essentially the lungs of our planet. All plants take in carbon dioxide and
release oxygen. Trees are able to convert more carbon dioxide than a regular plant, though. Forest
loss is often caused by climate change. Tropical rainforests are extremely humid due to the water
vapor released along with the oxygen. But when a forest is cut down, the humidity levels decrease
and causes the remaining plants to dry out. For example, drying out our tropical rainforests increases
fire damage. Fires can be both accidental and intentional but destroy forests quickly.

Reading 2
How You Can Help
You’ve already helped by reading this far and educating yourself! Next, there are a few things you can do to
help further:
 Educate Others. Many are completely unaware of this global problem we’re facing. By educating
your friends, family, and community of the facts, by cause and effect you’ll increase awareness and
make an impact.
 Use Renewable Wood Resources. We can plant trees as a source of wood or use wood from
second-growth forests. Looking for a job? Contact your local tree-planting organization! Sustainable,
locally sourced wood can be used and charcoal for cooking or heating homes is a great alternative to
fossil fuels—if locally sourced.
 Eat Less Meat. Agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation. This one’s hard for some people
and may actually be dangerous but even having a meatless Monday or only eating meat for one meal
a day will make an extreme impact on the environment.
 Forest-derived Products. Make sure they’re 100% post-consumer content materials.
 Reduce Consumption. Palm oil is in absolutely everything but a quick peek at the ingredients is a
simple habit to get into. Soybeans are another deforestation hotspot but try finding ways to reduce
consumption, avoiding it completely, or opting for organic, local (if possible) soy products.
 Reduce Paper Consumption. Opt for recycled paper products, including printing paper, notebooks,
napkins, toilet paper, etc. Simple habits to try are printing/writing on both sides of the paper, using
less toilet paper, avoiding paper plates and napkins.
 Forest-Friendly Policies. Purchase from companies who are committed to reducing deforestation.
 Purchase from Sustainable Companies. Loreal, Asian Pulp and Paper, Unilever, Hershey, Disney,
Wilmar International are deforestation-free.
 Forestry Certification. If buying products from virgin forest fiber, make sure it bears a seal from a
credible forestry certification system. Such as the Forest Stewardship Council.

Reading 3

CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION

1. Agricultural Activities: As earlier mentioned in the overview, agricultural activities are one of the major
factors affecting deforestation. Due to overgrowing demand for food products, huge amount of tress are fell
down to grow crops and for cattle gazing.
2. Logging: Apart from this, wood based industries like paper, match-sticks, furniture etc also need a
substantial amount of wood supply. Wood is used as fuel both directly and indirectly, therefore trees are
chopped for supplies. Firewood and charcoal are examples of wood being used as fuel. Some of these
industries thrive on illegal wood cutting and felling of trees.

3. Urbanization: Further on order to gain access to these forests, the construction of roads are undertaken;
here again trees are chopped to create roads. Overpopulation too directly affects forest covers, as with the
expansion of cities more land is needed to establish housing and settlements. Therefore forest land is
reclaimed.

4. Desertification of land: Some of the other factors that lead to deforestation are also part natural and part
anthropogenic like Desertification of land. It occurs due to land abuse making it unfit for growth of trees.
Many industries in petrochemicals release their waste into rivers which results in soil erosion and make it
unfit to grow plants and trees.

5. Mining: Oil and coal mining require considerable amount of forest land. Apart from this, roads and
highways have to be built to make way for trucks and other equipment. The waste that comes out from
mining pollutes the environmentand affects the nearby species.

6. Forest Fires: Another example would be forest blazes; Hundreds of trees are lost each year due to forest
fires in various portions of the world. This happens due to extreme warm summers and milder winters. Fires,
whether causes by man or nature results in huge loss of forest cover.

SOLUTIONS TO DEFORESTATION

1. The best solution to deforestation is to curb the felling of trees, by employing a series of rules and laws
to govern it. Deforestation in the current scenario may have reduced however it would be too early to
assume. The money-churner that forest resources can be, is tempting enough for deforestation to continue.

2. Clear cutting of forests must be banned. This will curb total depletion of the forest cover. It is a
practical solution and is very feasible.

3. Land skinned of its tree cover for urban settlements should be urged to plant trees in the vicinity and
replace the cut trees. Also the cutting must  be replaced by  planting young trees to replace the older
ones that were cut. Trees are being planted under several initiatives every year, but they still don’t match
the numbers of the ones we’ve already lost.