Deforestation as an Environmental Problem - Assignment Example

The aim of the discourse, therefore, is to provide a short report on the subject of deforestation by: (1) providing a brief summary the problem; (2) by outlining its causes; and finally, (3) analyzing some possible solutions to the problem. Brief Summary of the Problem Deforestation is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as referring “to change of land cover with depletion of tree crown cover to less than 10 percent. Changes within the forest class (e.g. from closed to open forest) which negatively affect the stand or site and, in particular, lower the production capacity, are termed forest degradation” (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2000, p. 1). Deforestation is regarded as an environmental problem for the reasons that cutting of trees or depletion of forests and woodlands leave insufficient numbers of trees which have been proven to store vast amounts of carbon needed to prevent continued global warming.

Also, due to clearing activities in forests and agricultural areas, the burning of trees emit substantial carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which is deemed contributory to the green house effect (Oracle Think Quest n.d.). Likewise, trees also have natural abilities to aborb water, if vast amounts of trees are uprooted and cut, the deforested region is therefore prone to floods or extreme dryness, causing further destruction of lives (human, animals and plants). Concurrently, trees and forests have been revealed to function as ways for conserving biological diversity where various flora and fauna have survived in their natural habitat.

Deforestation through natural (storms, blizzard, eathquakes) and human induced activities disrupt and contribute to the loss of biodiveristy which eventually leads to extinction of endanged species. Cause of Deforestation As revealed, the causes of deforestation are varied; ranging from finding other alternative uses for the land for planting, grazing animals, being used as residential areas due to population expansion, being allocated as roads, subdivisions, and even for logging (Oracle Think Quest, n.d.).

As deduced, deforestation is caused by human activities to satisfy diverse human needs. According to the FAO Key Findings Report on Global Forest Assessment in 2010, “deforestation – mainly the conversion of tropical forests to agricultural land – shows signs of decreasing in several countries but continues at a high rate in others. Around 13 million hectares of forest were converted to other uses or lost through natural causes each year in the last decade compared to 16 million hectares per year in the 1990s” (FAO, 2010, p. 3). Possible Solutions At the onset, one could analyze that the solution to this dilemma is straightforward: to replant trees and to stop cutting those that are still currently surviving.

However, to implement this, those identified to be authorized to maintain, monitor and restrict cutting and focus on preservation and conservation must design strategies and plans for management and governance through policies and regulations. As disclosed by FAO (2010), “80% of the world’s forests are publicly owned, but ownership and management of forests by communities, individuals and private companies is on the rise”