Deforestation

Deforestation is the clearance of naturally occurring forests by logging and burning. Deforestation occurs for many reasons: trees or derived charcoal are used as, or sold, for fuel or as a commodity, while cleared land is used as pasture for livestock, plantations of commodities and settlements. The removal of trees without suffi cient reforestation has resulted in damage to habitat, biodiversity loss and aridity. It has adverse impacts on bio-sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Deforested regions typically incure significant adverse soil erosion and frequently degrade into wasteland. There are many root causes of contemporary deforestation, including corruption of government institutions, the inequitable distribution of wealth and power, population growth, overpopulation and urbanization.