write an article in about 150 words on the ill effect of deforestation for your school magazine
Answers
Deforestation
Franklin D. Roosevelt rightly said, “A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Trees are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people. ” The present condition of trees and forests in the world, especially developing countries is pathetic and miserable. Trees are the source of life. They are the giving angels. They give man oxygen, rains, wood, fruit, make the world look so beautiful, yet the sinister man kills them! Who will be more inhumane than man himself? Cutting of trees ultimately endangers man’s own existence.
Most of the world oxygen that the animal species including man inhale is produced by trees. Most of the species of plants, animals and insects live in the tropical rainforests. They are important to the environment as they recycle water and regulate levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through photosynthesis. They are the world's full-time regulators of air and water. Their cutting will disturb the natural water cycles which will lead to the shortage of fresh-water in the water reserves of the world.
The tropical rainforests are also very important because they are home to an enormous number of plants and animals. Even more importantly, they are home to many unique plants and animals that do not exist anywhere else in the world. If the tropical rainforests were to be destroyed, so would the homes of all these species. Without a home, many of these species could become extinct.
Deforestation has many disadvantages. One of the major disadvantages of deforestation is that it disrupts the water cycle. As a consequences most of the water reserves are being replenished less often, which is affecting all forms of life. Trees are responsible for drawing up water from the soil and releasing moisture into the atmosphere. Deforestation causes a disturbance in the water cycle and makes the environment drier. Climate change is a severe outcome of the excessive cutting down of trees. Forests lock up atmospheric carbon during the process of photosynthesis. Trees contain a major portion of carbon from the atmosphere.
Cutting of the trees has a negative effect on the environment. It results in an increase in the amount of carbon and other greenhouse gases in the environment. Burning of forests results in the emission of a large amount of carbon dioxide into the air. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases like the oxides of nitrogen and methane are known to trap atmospheric heat, thus increasing the average temperature of the Earth's surface. This increase in the temperature near the Earth's surface and oceans is termed as global warming.
Extreme weather conditions, changing agricultural yields, and increase in the disease vectors are some of the other effects of global warming. Deforestation, being the primary reason behind global warming, we need to show greater concern towards the cutting of trees on a large scale. We need to take quick measures for preventing deforestation so that we can hope for an environment that is healthy to live in.
Besides when we cut a tree, we cut life supporting system. Cutting a tree is exactly like cutting of the umbilical cord of our own survival. Let’s get wiser and let’s plant trees at all the vacant spaces that are available.