Deforestation

Deforestation is the permanent removal of trees to make room for something besides a forest. The main causes of deforestation are clearing the land for agriculture, fuel, and construction. Over the past 50 years, 17% of the amazon rainforest has been destroyed. Thirty percent of the world is covered by trees. The trees provide shelter, clean air, fuel, and valuable habitat/ecosystems for wildlife. This infographic shows the magnitude of deforestation per forest type since the beginning of the 16th century.