The effects of deforestation is observed as a loss of biodiversity, adverse effects on natural phenomenon like rainfall, atmospheric quality, floods and landslides, soil erosion and scarcity of timber, fuel wood, fodder and other forest products.
Deforestation: Causes, Consequences and Efforts to Control It!
According to 1993 World development report deforestation is defined as the permanent conservation of the forest land to other uses including pasture, shifting cultivation, mechanised agriculture or infrastructural development. The phenomenon of deforestation can be explained in terms of loss of forest, mainly due to unplanned urbanization, increased industrialization and mining activities.
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The effects of deforestation is observed as a loss of biodiversity, adverse effects on natural phenomenon like rainfall, atmospheric quality, floods and landslides, soil erosion and scarcity of timber, fuel wood, fodder and other forest products.
Causes:
Some important causes for large scale deforestation are outlined as follows:
1. Encroachment of forest land to agriculture:
Rapid growth of population, inequitable land distribution and expansion of export agriculture have reduced the crop land to greater extent. Therefore, the subsistence farmers are forced to grow food by clearing forests.
2. Over grazing:
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The overgrazing in the forest lands causes serious damage to both seedling and older trees.
3. High demand for timber:
High demand of developed and developing countries for hard timber and plywood have ruined the world’s tropical forests.
4. Shifting or jhum cultivation:
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Shifting cultivation is adopted mainly by the tribal peoples which involves clearing of forest land for cultivation. It is estimated that nearly 5000 km2 of forest land is cleared for this purpose.
5. Clearance for settlement:
Sometimes, the people from over-crowded areas are settled by the government by clearing forests.
6. Natural factors:
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Natural factors like flood, drought, fire, decline of water level, cyclonic storm, lightening, snowfall, and diseases earth quake etc. cause massive deforestation.
7. Forest fire:
The forest fire (natural or deliberate) can cause deforestation to a larger extent.
8. Wrong government policies:
The deforestation is also due to wrong policies adopted by the government to collect revenue from products in the name of providing employment to tribals.
9. Demand for fuel wood:
The reliance of rural people for wood as a source of energy (fuel) is also a valid cause for forest denudation. Moreover, the demand pulls of the urban sectors where fuel wood commands exorbitant price, leads to large scale deforestation.
10. Clearance for forest plantation:
now a days, an attempt has been made to replace natural forests by new plantations that are high yielding in timber production.
Consequences of Deforestation:
The process of deforestation has the following detrimental impacts on life, property and environment of the living systems on the earth:
1. Soil erosion:
The depletion of top soil is resulted due to massive deforestation. The loss of top soil decreases the productivity there by putting a stress on availability of food grain.
2. Flood and drought:
Deforestation is directly responsible for greater frequency and intensity of floods and droughts. As per Birla Institute of Scientific research, the Great Indian Desert is advancing at the rate of almost one kilometer per year, due to rapid deforestation.
3. Environmental refugees:
Depletion of forests in developing countries is interlinked with population growth, poverty, illiteracy, urban migration, rural ecosystem etc. Being unable to support their growing population due to deforestation, there happens migration rural people towards urban areas which causes big slums, pollution and sanitation problems, break out of epidemics etc.
4. Global warming:
The concentration of carbon dioxide in the environment becomes higher and higher due to the depletion of forests which are well known absorber of C02. Increase in C02 concentration in environment causes global warming due to green house effect.
5. Fuel wood scarcity:
The availability of fuel wood becomes difficult due to deforestation and there happens a sharp rise in the price of fuel wood. Increase in price of fuel wood exerts high pressure on rural people and induces illegal extraction of wood.
6. Depletion of large number of species:
Depletion of forests has caused extinction of a number of species and their natural habitats.
Efforts to Control Deforestation:
In order to check the detrimental effects due to deforestation, the following control measures should be undertaken:
(i) All nations should promote the regeneration of degraded forest lands to increase permanent forest cover, reduce pressure on natural forest, conserve biodiversity, protect water sheds and soils and stabilize climax.
(ii) There should be a concerted effort to prevent encroachment pressures by providing land security to small and landless farmers through land tenure law, land reform or agarian reform.
(iii) There should be proper modification in the development schemes (i.e., mining, hydroelectric, road building, plantation etc.) to minimise their direct and indirect impacts on natural forests.
(iv) Over grazing in forest areas should be regulated by government.
(v) There should be efforts to relieve pressure on forests by decreasing waste in wood processing, increasing the efficiency of wood burning stoves and seeking alternative raw materials.
(vi) Ecological stability should receive precedence over the economic stability in the matter of forest growth.
(vii) Efforts should be made to involve local people, NGOs and forest department in developing degraded fore; t lands as well as conserving the existing forests.
(viii) There should be effort to encourage sustainable forest management in order to maintain ecological balance.
(ix) Public awareness should be created against the hazards of deforestation.
(x) Forest should be honoured not as a source of revenue but as a global asset to be protected for the well being of the globe.
In view of the vital importance of the forest in maintaining ecological balance and preserving biophysical system of the environment, the Government of India has revised the old forest policy of 1952 in 1988.
The main objectives of the revised policy are:
(i) To maintain ecological stability by adopting appropriate measures of environment protection, conservation and restoration.
(ii) To prevent the natural traditions by conserving the remaining natural forests as well as to conserve the vast original resources for the benefit of future generation.
(iii) To meet the basic requirements of the rural people and tribal people for the firewood, fodder and small timbers.