Deforestation, clearance or clearing is the removal of a
forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a non-forest
use.[1]
Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or
urban use.
The term deforestation is often misused to describe any activity where
all trees in an area are removed.[not in citation given][neutrality is disputed] However in temperate climates, the removal of all trees in an area[not in citation given]—in
conformance with sustainable forestry practices—is correctly
described as regeneration harvest.[2] In temperate mesic climates, natural regeneration of
forest stands often will not occur in the absence of disturbance, whether
natural or anthropogenic.[3]
Furthermore, biodiversity after regeneration harvest often mimics that found
after natural disturbance, including biodiversity loss after naturally occurring
rainforest destruction.[4][5]
Deforestation occurs for many reasons: trees are cut down to be used or sold
as fuel (sometimes in the form of charcoal) or timber, while cleared land is used
as pasture for livestock, plantations of commodities
and settlements. The removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in damage to habitat, biodiversity loss and aridity. It has adverse impacts on biosequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Deforestation has also been used
in war
to deprive the enemy of cover for its forces and also vital resources. Modern
examples of this were the use of Agent Orange by the British military in Malaya
during the Malayan Emergency and the United States military
in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Among countries with a per capita GDP of at least US$4,600, net deforestation rates
have ceased to increase.[when?][6][7]
Deforested regions typically incur significant adverse soil erosion and frequently degrade into wasteland.
Disregard or ignorance of intrinsic value, lack of ascribed value, lax forest
management and deficient environmental laws are some of the factors that allow
deforestation to occur on a large scale. In many countries, deforestation, both
naturally occurring and human induced, is an ongoing issue. Deforestation causes
extinction, changes to climatic conditions, desertification, and displacement of populations
as observed by current conditions and in the past through the fossil record.[4] More
than half of all plant and land animal species in the world live in tropical
forests.[8]
forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a non-forest
use.[1]
Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or
urban use.
The term deforestation is often misused to describe any activity where
all trees in an area are removed.[not in citation given][neutrality is disputed] However in temperate climates, the removal of all trees in an area[not in citation given]—in
conformance with sustainable forestry practices—is correctly
described as regeneration harvest.[2] In temperate mesic climates, natural regeneration of
forest stands often will not occur in the absence of disturbance, whether
natural or anthropogenic.[3]
Furthermore, biodiversity after regeneration harvest often mimics that found
after natural disturbance, including biodiversity loss after naturally occurring
rainforest destruction.[4][5]
Deforestation occurs for many reasons: trees are cut down to be used or sold
as fuel (sometimes in the form of charcoal) or timber, while cleared land is used
as pasture for livestock, plantations of commodities
and settlements. The removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in damage to habitat, biodiversity loss and aridity. It has adverse impacts on biosequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Deforestation has also been used
in war
to deprive the enemy of cover for its forces and also vital resources. Modern
examples of this were the use of Agent Orange by the British military in Malaya
during the Malayan Emergency and the United States military
in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Among countries with a per capita GDP of at least US$4,600, net deforestation rates
have ceased to increase.[when?][6][7]
Deforested regions typically incur significant adverse soil erosion and frequently degrade into wasteland.
Disregard or ignorance of intrinsic value, lack of ascribed value, lax forest
management and deficient environmental laws are some of the factors that allow
deforestation to occur on a large scale. In many countries, deforestation, both
naturally occurring and human induced, is an ongoing issue. Deforestation causes
extinction, changes to climatic conditions, desertification, and displacement of populations
as observed by current conditions and in the past through the fossil record.[4] More
than half of all plant and land animal species in the world live in tropical
forests.[8]