Three Girls For The Planet

What you need to know What is deforestation?

Deforestation is a destructive practice of destroying forests for rescorces or land that humans have been doing for thousands of years. Deforestation increased in the 1800's, during the industrial revolution, because more tools for cutting down trees became availible. Because of this, vast expanses of forest have been cut down. Even worse than cutting down forests of trees to clear land, there is the slash and burn tecnique. This involves burning the trees and not using their wood. This is often done by farmers to clear land for crops. However, this method removes most of the nutrients from the soil, and the farmers must burn more forest when the soil can no longer support crops, perpetuating the cycle of deforestation. Right now, forests are being cut down at a rate of 27 soccer feilds every minute, according to WWF. Almost half the world's tropical forests have already been cleared, and we're losing 18 million acres, roughly the size of Panama, every year (FAO).

Why it needs to stop Effects of Deforest- ation

The effects of deforestation are awful and sometimes irreversible. Forests are very important to the survival of humans and animals because they purify water and air, and they are home to 80% of the world's land animal species. However, many of these species are dying out at an alarming rate of 150-200 species dying out every day. Many of these species become extinct because of habitat destruction, often caused by deforestation. We are losing species between 1,000 and 10,000 times the natural rate (meaning the rate of extinction if humans were not present). Nearly 200 species per day that future generations will never be able to see. The Amazon Rainforest is particularly a concern because of it's biodiversity. The Amazon Rainforest is home to 50% of the species on earth. It has lost 17% of it's mass in the last 50 years. Of the 4 billion acres of forest in the Amazon Rainforest, only 2.7 billion remain, according to the Rainforest Preservation Society. The Amazon Rainforest is also a concern because it's difficult for the rainforest to grow back on it's own. This is because the seeds of rainforest tree species are significantly bigger than ones in temperate zones. They require special messanger species to carry the seeds. Without these species present, the rainforest has a lot of trouble regrowing the damage that humans have caused. With this in mind, it's easy to see why we should replace deforestation with more sustainable methods. By this point, it's sustainable methods or human extinction.

What you can do Efforts against deforestation

While the deforestation chrisis can seem hopeless, there is a lot of things that forest and wildlife activism groups such as WWF, Green Peace, Rainforest Foundation US and others are doing. Some of these things include working with companies to inplement sustainable policies and working with governments and indiginous peoples to protect land and prevent illegal logging. However, there are a few things that you can do in you're everyday life to save the forests. You can make a difference, firstly, by reducing your consumptionof animal products, because forests are cut down to produce livestock feed. When buying products, look for products with sustainability seals, such as Rainforest Alliance, Processed Clorine Free, Totally Chlorine Free or FSC (Forest Stewardshic Council). Look out for products with 100% post-consumer content. Remember to read labels and avoid palm oil. Buy from companies that have a commitment to sustainable practices, and speak out if a company is using unethical forestry practices. Consume less and recycle when you can. Spread the word to friends and family. We can all be part of a deforestation-free future!