Scientists have long been talking about the harmful effects of technological progress on nature. Climate change, melting ice, reduced quality of drinking water have a very negative effect on people's lives. Environmentalists around the world have long been sounding the alarm about pollution and the destruction of nature. One of the most important environmental problems is deforestation. Forest problems are visible especially in civilized states. Environmentalists believe that deforestation leads to many negative consequences for the Earth and humans. Without forests there will be no life on Earth, this must be understood by those on whom their conservation depends. However, wood has long become a commodity that is expensive. And therefore, the problem of forest destruction is solved with such difficulty. Perhaps people just do not think that their whole life depends on this ecosystem. Although since olden times everyone revered the forest, often giving it magical functions. He was the breadwinner and personified the life-giving power of nature. He was loved, the trees were treated with care, and they answered our ancestors the same.
Forests of the planet
In all countries, in every corner of the world, massive deforestation is carried out. Forest problems are that with the destruction of trees, many more species of plants and animals die. The ecological balance in nature is disturbed. After all, a forest is not only trees. This is a well-coordinated ecosystem based on the interaction of many representatives of flora and fauna. In addition to trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, lichens, insects, animals, and even microorganisms are of great importance in its existence. Despite massive deforestation, forests still occupy about 30% of the land. This is more than 4 billion hectares of land. More than half of them are tropical forests. However, northern, especially coniferous massifs are also of great importance in the ecology of the planet. The richest green countries in the world are Finland and Canada. In Russia, about 25% of the world's forest reserves are located. Least of all trees in Europe. Now forests occupy only a third of its territory, although in antiquity it was completely covered with trees. And, for example, in England they were almost gone, only 6% of the land was given for parks and forest plantations.
Rainforests
They occupy more than half of the entire territory of green spaces. Scientists estimate that about 80% of animal species that can die without the usual ecosystem live there. However, tropical deforestation is now proceeding at an accelerated pace. In some regions, such as West Africa or Madagascar, about 90% of the forest has already disappeared. A catastrophic situation has developed in the countries of South America, where more than 40% of trees have been cut down. The problems of rainforests are not only a matter of the countries in whose territory they are located. The destruction of such a huge array will lead to environmental disaster. It is difficult to appreciate the role that forests play in the life of mankind. Therefore, scientists around the world are sounding the alarm.
The meaning of the forest
- It provides humanity with oxygen. It is no coincidence that the forest is the lungs of the planet. And it not only produces oxygen, but also partially absorbs chemical pollution, purifying the air. A wisely organized ecosystem accumulates carbon, which is important for the existence of life on Earth. It also helps prevent the greenhouse effect, which is increasingly threatening nature.
- The forest protects the surrounding area from extreme temperature changes, night frosts, which favorably affects the state of farmland. Scientists have found that the climate is milder where most of the area is overgrown with trees.
- The usefulness of the forest for sowing also lies in the fact that it protects the soil from leaching, wind drift, landslides and mudflows. Territories overgrown with trees prevent the onset of sand.
- Forest plays a huge role in the water cycle. He not only filters it and stores it in the soil, but also helps to fill streams and rivers with water during floods in the spring, preventing the waterlogging of the area. The forest helps maintain groundwater levels and prevents flooding. Absorption by roots of moisture from the soil and intensive evaporation by leaves helps to avoid drought.
Use of forests for the benefit of man
Green spaces are important for humans not only because they regulate the water cycle and provide all living things with oxygen. About a hundred fruit and berry trees and shrubs, as well as nuts, more than 200 species of edible and medicinal herbs and mushrooms grow in the forest. Many animals are caught there, such as sable, marten, squirrel or black grouse. But most of all, man needs wood. It is because of this that deforestation occurs. The problem of the forest is that without trees the whole ecosystem dies. So why does a man need wood?
- First of all, it is, of course, construction. For example, until now, almost all houses in the villages of Siberia are built of wood. Despite the appearance of modern building materials, it is still considered the best. Wood is also used to make furniture, parquet, windows and doors.
- Timber is very involved in the railway industry. In addition to the fact that most of the sleepers are made of it, it goes on the manufacture of wagons and bridges.
- From time immemorial, wood has been considered the best material in shipbuilding.
- Wood is also indispensable in the chemical industry: turpentine, acetone, vinegar, rubber, alcohol, fertilizers and plastic are made from it. It is used in tanning and dyeing industries.
- For many hundreds of years, wood is the only material for paper production. Now it takes tens of millions of cubic meters annually.
- A very large amount of wood is still used as fuel.
- In total, more than 20 thousand things a person needs are made of wood. For example, fabrics, toys, musical instruments or sporting goods.
Deforestation
Forest problems arise when this happens uncontrollably, often illegally. After all, forests have long been cut down. And over 10 thousand years of the existence of mankind, about two-thirds of all trees have already disappeared from the face of the Earth. Especially many began to cut down forests in the Middle Ages, when more and more space was needed for construction and farmland. And now every year about 13 million hectares of forest are destroyed and almost half of them are places where the human foot has never set foot. Why is the forest cut down?
- to make way for construction (after all, the growing population of the Earth needs to build new cities);
- as in antiquity, the forest is cut with slash-and-burn agriculture, making way for arable land;
- livestock development requires more and more space for pasture;
- forests often interfere with the extraction of minerals, so needed by mankind for technological progress;
- and finally, wood is now a very valuable commodity used in many industries.
Which forest can be cut down
The disappearance of forests has long attracted the attention of scientists. Different states are trying to somehow regulate this process. All forests were divided into three groups:
- Prohibited to felling. These are those forests that are very important in ensuring the ecological balance on Earth. They perform water conservation or soil conservation functions. Most often, these forests are protected and included in various nature reserves, national parks and reserves. Criminal liability is provided for felling trees in such a forest.
- Limited Use Forests. They are located in densely populated areas and also perform important functions. Although these are places where partial deforestation is allowed. An environmental problem has arisen due to the fact that in these territories timber is often harvested excessively. In addition to permitted logging, for example for sanitary purposes, healthy valuable tree varieties for sale are destroyed. Such illegal logging is very common in Russia. The problem is compounded by the fact that our forest is very much appreciated abroad, and a lot of money is paid for it.
- Production forests specially planted for logging. They are cut down completely, and then planted again.
Types of deforestation
In most states, forest problems concern many scientists and government representatives. Therefore, deforestation is limited there at the legislative level. However, the fact is that often it is carried out illegally. And although this is considered poaching and punishable by heavy fines or imprisonment, the massive destruction of forests in order to make a profit is growing. For example, deforestation in Russia is almost 80% illegal. Moreover, wood is mainly sold abroad. And what are the official types of cutting?
- The so-called main cutting. This removes the "ripe forest", valuable trees needed for industry and construction. Such felling is continuous (which can only be done in the old forest), selective (when experts note which trees can be cut) and gradual.
- Thinning plant care. In this case, unripe trees that interfere with the growth of valuable species are cut down. Young plants often take nutrients and moisture from other trees.
- Complex cutting, when a site is completely freed from vegetation. This may be required when building or laying roads, power lines or when you need to make room for pasture or farmland.
- Sanitary felling is least harmful to the forest. On the contrary, heals him. In this case, only diseased and damaged plants are cut down. For example, those affected by a fire, broken by a storm, or infected with a fungus.
What damage is deforestation
The environmental problem of the disappearance of the so-called "lungs" of the planet already worries many. Most people believe that this threatens to decrease oxygen stores. This is true, but this is not the main problem. The extent that deforestation is now taking is astounding. A satellite photo of the former forests helps to visualize the situation. What can this lead to:
- the ecosystem of the forest is being destroyed, many representatives of flora and fauna are disappearing;
- a decrease in the amount of wood and plant diversity leads to a deterioration in the quality of life of most people;
- the amount of carbon dioxide increases, which leads to the formation of a greenhouse effect;
- trees cease to protect the soil (leaching of the upper layer leads to the formation of ravines, and lowering the groundwater level is the cause of deserts);
- soil moisture increases, due to which swamps form;
- Scientists believe that the disappearance of trees on the slopes of the mountains leads to the rapid melting of glaciers.
According to researchers, deforestation causes damage to the global economy in the amount of up to $ 5 trillion a year.
How are forests cleaned?
How does deforestation occur? The photo of the territory where the cutting recently took place is an unsightly view: bare terrain, almost devoid of vegetation, stumps, spots of campfires and strips of exposed soil. How does this come about? The name "felling" has been preserved since the time when trees fell down with an ax. Now chainsaws are used for this. After the tree fell to the ground, branches are chopped off and burned. The bare trunk is almost immediately taken away. And they move it to the place of transportation by drag, hooked to a tractor. Therefore, there remains a strip of bare land with torn vegetation and destroyed undergrowth. Thus, young growth that could revive the forest is destroyed. At this place, the ecological balance is completely disturbed and other conditions for vegetation are created.
What happens after cutting down
In open space, completely different conditions are created. Therefore, a new forest grows only where the felling area is not very large. What prevents young plants from gaining strength:
- The light level changes. Those undergrowth plants that are used to living in the shade die.
- Another temperature condition. Without tree protection, a sharper temperature fluctuation occurs, frequent night frosts. This also leads to the death of many plants.
- An increase in soil moisture can lead to waterlogging. And the wind blowing moisture from the leaves of young growth does not allow them to develop normally.
- The death of roots and the decomposition of forest litter release many nitrogenous compounds that enrich the soil. However, those plants that need just such mineral substances feel better on it. Most quickly raspberries or willow-tea grow on clearings, and birch or willow shoots are well developed. Therefore, restoration of deciduous forests is fast if a person does not intervene in this process. But conifers after felling grow very poorly, since they reproduce by seeds, for which there are no normal conditions for development. Such negative consequences are deforestation. What is the solution to the problem?
