Help stop habitat loss

What's the issue?

Types of Habitat Loss

• Habitat destruction occurs when natural environments are directly and physically destroyed. Examples include clear-cutting, burning and mining.

• Habitat fragmentation means that suitable habitats are not large enough and/or not connected enough to provide sufficient territory for a species. Fragmentation may be the result of habitat destruction, development, or even natural disasters such as wildfires or flooding.

• Habitat degradation occurs when a habitat is indirectly impacted by the disruption of a larger ecological process. Examples include pollution, invasive species, and even changes in seasonal weather patterns.

Forest Loss

• As human populations grow, forests are under increasing pressure to provide homes for wildlife and resources for human communities. Eight out of 10 terrestrial species and over 1 billion people live in and around forests, depending on them for food, fuel, medicines and building materials.

• Forests have experienced the most substantial loss. Roughly half of global forest cover has been lost in the past three centuries. Forest loss threatens the survival of countless species, fuels negative changes to the environment, and jeopardizes people’s livelihoods.

Causes of Habitat Loss

• Agriculture is widely believed to be the leading cause of global habitat loss and is the biggest driver of forest loss. Converting natural habitats to meet other land needs (e.g. farms, cattle pastures, mines, etc.) is usually irreversible. In the 1990s, almost 70% of deforested areas were converted to agricultural land.

• Illegal logging is another major cause of global habitat loss. The global trade in roundwood, paper, furniture, and other products originating from illegally harvested timber is a multi-million dollar global industry. Illegal logging not only destroys habitat; it also impacts the enomic livelihoods of local communities. Many forest-dwelling communities around the world have limited opportunities for income and little ownership of their land. This makes them vulnerable to powerful interests (logging companies, criminal networks, etc.), often leading to repression, exploitation and even human rights violations.

• Mining, a growing practice due to rising global demand, threatens tropical forests and endangered species. While mines directly destroy habitat, the associated infrastructure development (roads, railway lines, power stations, etc.) place additional pressure on wildlife by increasing access to previously remote forest areas.

What can you do to help?

You can help prevent habitat loss by being mindful of what you eat, use and buy.

• Look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo to help you find certified forest products. FSC’s forest management standards expand protection of water quality, prohibit harvesting of old-growth forest, prevent loss of natural forest cover, and prohibit using hazardous chemicals. Look for the FSC logo on any products made from or packaged in paper or cardboard.

• Participate in Meatless Mondays to help reduce expansion of pastures for livestock grazing, which is a major driving force of large-scale habitat loss, particularly in Central and South America. Cutting meat out of your diet just one day each week will not only protect wildlife habitats; replacing animal meat with plant protein can also improve your heart health and reduce your diet’s carbon footprint.

• Recycle cell phones and other handheld electronic devices to reduce the need to mine for coltan, a mineral used in the production of electronic devices. By recycling your electronics at Zoo Atlanta or through our Gorillas on the Line annual event, you help gorillas in two ways: the threat to their habitat is reduced and proceeds benefit the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International’s gorilla conservation and research projects. Recycling any electronic devices also prevents hazardous materials from polluting our environment.

• Grow native plants in your outdoor space to create habitats for local wildlife.

Recommended resources for additional information

• FoodPrint

• Forest Stewardship Council

• IUCN Issue Brief: Deforestation and forest degradation

• IUCN Issue Brief: Forests and climate change

• Sustainable Forestry Initiative

• Meatless Mondays

Updated May 2020