What is deforestation?

Deforestation is considered a process caused by human activity focused on cutting down and burning trees; in which the entire forest area of ​​any type of environment is destroyed, either for reasons of timber industry as well as for obtaining land for agriculture or for mining or livestock purposes, respectively.

Causes of Deforestation

•       Natural Causes:

1. Natural Phenomena: Within this group, causes such as floods, hurricanes, as well as earthquakes or volcanic eruptions are associated; since it is mainly fire and intense wind that generates total deforestation in many types of environments.

•        Artificial Causes:

1. Available land: This is among the first causes generated by the man that leads to the destruction of the soil from deforestation; since the inhabitants of the zones do it to get more space available for different causes, from the cultivation and the wood industry to also have areas for the construction of urbanizations.
2. Wood industry: Men also use the felling of trees to create very useful items in daily life, such as for paper extraction; furniture and building materials, etc.
3. Consumer items: this serves to get palm oil; as well as for cleaning items, hygiene products and even for the creation of lower cost cosmetics.
4. Forest fires: More and more trees are being lost every year in many types of environments and in all countries of the world; This happens because of the perpetration of the sun's rays that affect deserts or arid areas with abundant vegetation.    

                   

An example of an available land.

Cutted wood.

Palm oil, which comes from the palm tree.

A forest fire.

Consequences of Deforestation

Loss of biodiversity: The species, due to the mistreatment of the environment, need to adapt to other habitats , which can be unknown or not adaptable for them. This causes some species to be in danger of extinction, which is a tragedy for nature.

The melomys rubicola is the first mammal extinction caused by climate change.

Variations in the weather: Climate change is frequently associated with deforestation, because without this trees, the sun's rays can't be blocked anymore. So extreme temperatures are affecting the ground, which induces variability in the weather conditions and in the environment.

An example of the deforestation that directly affects the ground.

Floods: The deforestation also causes the environment to stop having the capacity to regulate the water flows as rivers and streams. This is caused because the trees maintain this control; as well as the absorption of large amounts of water for the care of the soil.

An example of a flood caused by deforestation in Santa Fé, Argentina.

Trees are essential to counteract greenhouse gases with oxygen, decreasing the damage of global warming. Without them, the genereated impact on the environment is much more; contributing to the deterioration of our planet.

What is reforestation?

Reforestation is the action of repopulating a territory with trees. Generally, this territory was in its recent past (approximately fifty years ago) populated with trees and forests that were deforested for different possible reasons.

Reforestation is an essential action for the survival of man and other living beings on this planet.

Planting trees is an important strategy to reduce environmental problems. A young tree stores on average about 11.3 kg of atmospheric carbon per year. Every human activity has an impact on nature.
According to some estimates, it is necessary for each one of us to plant and maintain at least 65 trees to compensate for the amount of coal we contribute to the atmosphere during our life.

Importance of trees and forests:

• They favor the presence of water and the recharge of aquifers.

• They conserve biodiversity and habitat. 

• Provide oxygen.

• Protect the soil. 

• They act as filters of air and water pollutants. 

• They regulate the temperature. 

• Decrease noise levels.

• Provide food. 

• They serve as raw material (firewood, wood, coal, paper, resins, medicines, dyes, etc.).

A bear and its family in a forest.

A cute fox sleeping on a log.

A squirrel eating from a tree.

A river flowing through a forest.

Reforestation Objectives

• Construction of vivariums and plant production.
• Repopulation of green areas.
• To protect the biodiversity.
• The production of wood, cellulose, fruit, fiber or fuel.
• To preserve the soil from erosion and improve the watersheds. 
• To establish protected areas for livestock, using intensive production techniques. 
• To form protection zones against wind waves, protecting the crops.
• To have a source of wood for domestic energy production. 
• To build leisure spaces.

The apple trees are 4 meters tall usually.

Being in a place with trees can be very relaxing.

The wood can be used for many things, such as building material or fuel.

Reforestation Techniques

There are many techniques when reforesting, planting and direct sowing are the most common since it is a low cost technique although its success rate is low since it requires high quality seeds and low pressure from both humans and animals.

Planting technique

Vegetative propagation by stump shoots is a low-cost technique that requires minimal control on the ground to be targeted and stimulated. Planted shoots must be monitored for greater growth success.

Stump shoot

Regeneration assisted with pruning, protection of wooded islands for seed production and dissemination, or temporary protection of the land against herbivores, are other efficient techniques when reforesting.

Pruning technique

            

Be Careful

Fortunately everyone today talks about the benefits of planting a tree as an activity to help the planet and to contribute to the generation of oxygen, and with this, contribute with our grain of sand. 

To reforest is to follow up on an environmental study, it is very important that when planting a tree we analyze and know the area where it will be located; The balance of nature is very sensitive, and doing it without the knowledge can even be harmful to ecosystems.

Each tree is different and consequently each one has specific places to live. Bad reforestation could even break some food chains, alter the environment and the soil, resulting in a negative impact on what should be sustainable management that will generate life in the future. 

Reforestation is generally implemented where the tree cover has been reduced by climatic conditions or human activities. The most recommended when reforesting is to use native species that existed in the area, since in this way we will maintain the original landscape, and most importantly, we will not put other plant and animal species, that are part of the macro and micro habitats that maintain a balance in the ecosystems of the world, at risk.

Rainforest

Mangroves

Badlands

Maintaining the landscape when reforesting is respecting the life that gives life to us and to other many species. Deforestation instead kills the planet's lungs.

Conclusion

Currently, on our planet, we are losing year after year large forest masses, as a result of deforestation and forest destruction. These forests fulfill very important functions in ecosystems, such as serving as habitat for various species and mitigating the effects of global warming. We have to make people aware that we need to take care of the forests, and do what its in our hands.