So, deforestationdoespositively impact the economy, which can help support people, jobs, and lifestyles. Openhabitat is important for a range of species including this well-camouflagednightjar, which is a birdthatchooses to nest on the ground rather than in trees. Please be respectful of copyright. While some people believe the best use How did this mountain lion reach an uninhabited island? Trees can suffer many untreatable infestations and diseases. Aggressive efforts to rewild and reforest are already showing success. 5 E Market St., Suite 261, Corning, NY 14830, 2023 treejourney.com, owned by Pest Pointers LLC. Did you ever ask yourself why trees are so important? Plants create oxygen and absorb greenhouse https://treejourney.com/reasons-why-people-cut-down-trees-deforestation-guide As the world seeks to slow the pace of climate change, preserve wildlife, and support more than eight billion people, trees inevitably hold a major part of the answer. Even if a building is made mostly of other materials, wood is almost always a component. The thing is, its hard to realize how big of an impact each individual has on the environment. Though deforestation is one popular term, we choose not to use it, as it has a negative connotation and does not adequately represent why we do what we do. In Tanzania, the residents of Kokota have planted more than 2 million trees on their small island over a decade, aiming to repair previous damage. On the opposite note of the last section, an area where trees are cut down to allow for open space will still end up providing a ton of lumber that will be used in one way or another. We care for trees throughout their life and work hard to keep them healthy. WebTrees are living things that grow old and die. Essentially, we get more stuff when we manage. Forestry Englands top nature recovery stories from 2022. But we can still save our forests. Where trees are removed, animals and insects will either leave or have to adapt, and sometimes communities feel the impact of these shifts. Trees growing too close to drains can lead to blockages, as their roots can get in to them. Look at the Leaves. Ever read a book thats not online? We suggest speaking to one of our tree surgeons in Manchester if youre wanting a second opinion. Many trees are cut down for materials of whatever kind. Can we bring a species back from the brink?, Video Story, A journey of the senses through Abu Dhabi, Video Story, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. The numbers are grim, but many conservationists see reasons for hope. Its all about creating a balance between the give and take that occurs when trees are removed and land is opened up to new possibilities. Not only are thingsina home made from wood, but there are aspects of the home itself that are wood. A lot of wood.
An iceberg melts in the waters off Antarctica. Getting an Aesthetically Appealing Look 6. The information was not what I was looking for. Its usually relatively obvious when a tree has died and whilst it may not look particularly attractive, its doing no harm, right? With practices of deforestation for products like palm oil, displacement of forest communities is rampant, and conflict between companies and communities has been very common. As you cant see interior decay, the tree can deterioratewithout you knowing which could lead to trees falling or snapping unexpectedly. Thinning also lets more light in to the forest floor, which increases the diversity of plants in our woodlands and encourages more wildlife. We all need materials that trees provide, but using the knowledge about how to sustainably acquire it makes a big difference. (Which nation could be the first to be rewilded?). As trees grow, they convert carbon dioxide to food and store it in their leaves, trunks, and roots. This is especially true of our current forests, which are results of extreme disturbance from the historic logging era. Before we explore the benefits of cutting down trees, we want to address a few of the most frequently asked questions regarding tree removal: How does cutting trees affect us and the environment? Climate change has accelerated the rate of ice loss across the continent.
New AI may pass the famed Turing test. Know how important trees are? It has been estimated that if deforestation continues at its current rate, it will result in the extinction of around 28,000 different species in the next 25 years. 1. Okay, lets expand a bit. Immediate removal limits the threat of a widespread infestation on your property. 2. Harvesting wood requires the cutting of trees. In a world that is spending too much time looking down, not enough of us are looking up. Large scale destruction of treesdeforestationaffects ecosystems, climate, and even increases risk for zoonotic diseases spreading to humans. Here are 20 reasons why we should cut down trees: 1. Can you cut trees on your own? Work with a local leader in effective tree removal in your area. A classic for a reason,reduce the waste you create, reuse what you can, and recycle that which you cannot. The above are the extreme cases of when you should remove a tree but of course there can be a huge range of reasons that arent as serious, such as reducing the amount of shade in your garden, creating more space and so on. Making sure that those fallen trees dont go to waste is another huge aspect of sustainability. Well leave the research to you on that one, based on what you buy and where you shop, but its a great concept that you can easily keep an eye out for! Then plant one today: As well as combatting air pollution, trees have a role in combatting the negative impact of noise pollution. Forests still cover about 30 percent of the worlds land area, but they are disappearing at an alarming rate. Yes, climate change is making a big dent, but make no mistake, the direct clearing of forest is still the number one reason we are living in the sixth great extinction. So not only do trees remove unhealthy air, they actually replace it with clean air. The South American rainforest, for example, influences regional and perhaps even global water cycles, and it's key to the water supply in Brazilian cities and neighboring countries. We really could go on and on.For now, heres a fun fact: the Amazon alone is one the vastest carbon stores in the world, containing ten times the annual global emissions of carbon from fossil fuels. 10) Saving the Trees is indirectly saving the human from calamities. But there are still 9 more reasons why trees are so important. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you want to do some good and help the planet keep producing the beautiful trees that we all know and love: So many of our articles are about helping you to care for the trees on your property, or even to plant new ones. Second, removing the correct trees from a woodland area helps maintain forest health and vigor. Forests cover about 30 percent of the planet's land mass, but humans are cutting them down, clearing these essential habitats on a massive scale. We dont have to be talking about skyscrapers or ultra-modern homes, though. While unnecessary tree removal is injurious, carefully considered tree removal can provide benefits for you, the landscape and native animal species. This is one way that some of the more harmful impacts of deforestation can be nullified. Immediate removal limits the. Annals of the association of American Geographers,75(2), 163-184. (How deforestation is leading to more infectious diseases in humans.). A major effect of urbanisation, transport and industrialisation, noise is not just annoying for humans it can have a devastating effect on wildlife. From pioneering the use of solar energy to helping to eradicating disease, here are just a few ways the 39th U.S. president has made the world a better place. As those gases enter the atmosphere, global warming increases, a trend scientists now prefer to call climate change. There is certainly economic value in being able to grow new crops, raise livestock, build houses, and/or harvest a bunch of lumber to create more materials. And hey the firewood they provide enables us to prepare food we could otherwise not digest. Whether youre talking about a single sapling in your yard or acres of forest, many people view cutting down trees as harmful to the environment. What is deforestation? Sometimes it can be just as important to cut down a tree than it is to leave it be, but its not always easy to spot the reasons why. Using less paper is becoming easier in this digital age, but it is often still a decision that must be consciously made. Managed forests grow wood forever, and we See all of National Geographic's videos on deforestation here. For consumers, it makes sense to examine the products and meats you buy, looking for sustainably produced sources when you can. a vast majority of all species of land plants and animalslives in forests. We want it to be. Forestry practices, wildfires and, in small part, urbanization account for the rest. Heres why each season begins twice. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. But there are still 9 more reasons why trees are so important. October 21, 2016. We ignore forests at our own peril. Eighth, cutting trees is key to forest restoration efforts. If youre thinking that the answer is no, all these things are on the internet, then lets ask this: Have you ever ordered takeout, been handed a flyer, taken a receipt from the grocery store, or given a birthday card? Trees remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it as wood, which helps mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. While we see that deforestation is not likely to go away anytime soon and can have good outcomes, its worth discussing the ways that we can each help to mitigate some of the bad that does stem from this practice. There are some 250 million people who live in forest and savannah areas and depend on them for subsistence and incomemany of them among the worlds rural poor. Please, rush a gift right now to help power the fight for a Global Ocean Treaty before time runs out for our ocean creatures facing overwhelming threats. Now we can discuss the reasons that lead people, or companies, to cut down trees. Again, this makes the soil much more nutritious for other plants (including crops). The cattle sector in Brazil and the Palm Oil sector in southeast Asia, both major drivers of deforestation, are also major sources of reported incidences of forced labor and social conflict.Deforestation often looks a lot like modern day colonialism.