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Effects of Land Clearing

Updated May 30, 2023

By Gregory Hamel

Large scale tree cutting can lead to deforestation, a transformation of an area from forest to
terrain with little vegetation. As logging (the practice of cutting down trees) continues to
increase – in order to fuel supplies of lumber, paper, and other important materials – the global
effects of deforestation continue to worsen, and it becomes harder and harder to combat these
negative impacts.

Trees and forests are some of the greenest natural technology in the world as they absorb
carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and help to balance the climate. Other plant species are
also major sources of carbon sequestration, but forests face some of the greatest danger today
because of accelerating logging practices and especially tropical deforestation in the Amazon
rainforest.

Significance
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Deforestation affects habitats, biodiversity, air quality, water ways, and nearly every other part
of the natural world. Plants create oxygen and absorb greenhouse gasses, a vital process for
ecological cycles. Forest loss not only impacts local communities and organisms, but it also
actively contributes to global warming, ocean acidification, and natural disasters through
climate change.

Forests capture billions of metric tons of carbon dioxide each year (acting as carbon sinks),
helping to balance local and global atmospheric composition; forested land further supports
water cycles and protects against soil erosion. They are a crucial aspect of environments
everywhere.