Jadyn Bryans

Deforestation is a huge issue in our world, causing extinction and making animals homes inhabitable. These issues must stop, as well as all the other problems we face linking to and around this.

A major environmental issue is the awful death and extinction that happens with our wildlife. “Deforestation affects animals in many ways. It causes habitat destruction, increased risk of predation, reduced food availability, and much more. As a result, some animals lose their homes, others lose food sources – and finally, many lose their lives. In fact, deforestation is one of the main causes of extinction.” Quoted from standfortrees.org This evidence greatly supports my contention, with this website and, most likely, the large group of people behind it. People can be voices for nature, and we can stop this act of murder, and destruction. We can help our world and wildlife in many ways, we can plants trees and native crops or plants, protect the wildlife, guide them to safety and keep the area safe. 

As you can see, deforestation (as quoted above) is in fact one of the leading causes to extinction and we all must help and take a step forward, not just for the wildlife, but our lives and future generations too.

Loss of habitat is huge because you’re destroying immense amounts of plants and trees and ruining forests. “Orang-utan habitat in North Sumatra is being lost at an extremely high rate, mainly due to fire and conversion of forests to oil palm plantations and other agricultural development. This species depends on high-quality forests.” Quoted from worldwildlife.org

This again goes to show that deforestation is awful and entire species are either greatly endangered or now extinct. As shown, the Orang-utan depend on high-quality trees and forests. By cutting these trees down we ultimately are killing them. As mentioned throughout this entire paragraph, deforestation is jeopardising these poor orang-utans and their homes.

Another devastating problem in our world is the removal of native habitat and vegetation for farming. Land clearing is to make way for crop-producing land or grazing farm animals. “Land clearing is devastating to native people and animals, and has resulted in huge losses in biodiversity.” kindnessproject.org.au “The effects of soil erosion go beyond the loss of fertile land… increased pollution… sedimentation in streams and rivers” worldwildlife.org 

In support of my contention, this evidence and my other points all link together and further support that deforestation must come to a stop. Soil erosion, land clearing, it is all sending biodiversity into a decline.

Land clearing is destroying forests native trees and vegetation. Something most of us contribute to and are guilty of, is burning fossil fuels. Emitting so much carbon in to our atmosphere whilst destroying carbon sinks (trees, etc) is putting the oxygen to carbon levels off balance.  “Burning fossil fuels, in combination with destruction of carbon sinks due to deforestation and other activities, has contributed to more and more carbon dioxide building up in the atmosphere – more than can be absorbed from existing carbon sinks such as forests.” Quoted from climatecouncil.org.au

Not only does this harm and jeopardise the animal’s safety and well-being, but we are killing ourselves. Simultaneously polluting our air and cutting down the forests is obviously not a good combination, even individually they are two of the biggest environmental issues in our world. Of course we depend on travelling via car and it is very common between all of us, but we can use much more efficient and eco-friendly options such as electric cars, or even better we can use public transport. Public transport can be a hassle, but we need to think of the future, the next generation, the rest of our lives could depend on it greatly.

“One thing leads to another… Trees are worth more alive than dead”. Extinction, loss of habitat, loss of vegetation are only a couple issues within the main problem, deforestation. Time is running out, and the longer we leave these issues, the greater the impact we are creating for not only our animals, but ourselves, our future, and later generations. 

We must stop these problems, if we don’t act now we will face major consequences for our actions.