A tree removes carbon dioxide, a harmful gas from the environment while producing oxygen, essential to life. Through photosynthesis, the leaves on a tree take in carbon dioxide, or CO₂, and water. They then use energy from the sun to convert these into food. During this process, oxygen is produced. In one year, a mature tree will absorb more than 21 kilograms of carbon dioxide. 

80% of all land life exists in forests. Worldwide, loss of forests leads to the loss of habitat for animals such as orangutans, pandas, tigers, and more. In Romania, animals such as bears, lynxes, wolf, and bison have faced habitat loss due to forest removal. 

Deforestation causes landslides and erosion to occur more frequently, as trees and roots help to keep soil in place. Without that support, the soil can shift, especially on slopes, leading to landslides. This can greatly damage the land and even humans if the landslide happens close to civilization. In order to prevent this, if deforestation is to occur, it must be done responsibly, without clearing an entire area all at once to avoid weaken the soil too much.