Let's remind ourselves about deforestation and its effects

Among the many blessings that our beautiful planet is endowed with, trees are and have been invaluable to life. Its usefulness and relevance are just innumerable. From the production of oxygen for respiration to the production of timber for construction and beautification, trees have played and are still playing a vital role in the existence of mankind. However, With the vita roles comes the over-exploitation and their wanton use. The rate at which humans are removing trees for various use far outstretch the rate at which the removed trees naturally regenerate. Hence, a time might come when there will not be enough trees in the environment to sustain the various ecological processes that ensure the continuation of life. Should we be concerned?

Advancement in science and technology has no doubt led to the development of mega-cities and skyscrapers in places where trees naturally occupy. Little regard is given to trees when construction of buildings, roads, and much other infrastructural development are being considered. How developed a place is, becomes a measure of the number of trees (or vegetation generally) that is present in that environment. The more the vegetation/trees, the less developed they are considered and vice versa. Maybe the “association of forest” should have been in the best position to protest, but the rest of the ecosystem seems to benefit more from the presence of trees than trees themselves. You might want to ask 'how?'

Forests, especially trees serve as natural habitat for a wide variety of animals. From the small arthropods to bigger chordates, the forest houses more living organisms than human can ever provide for themselves. Birds, for instance, prefer to build their nests on trees, and it makes it easy for them to remain safe and navigate around. Millions of other organisms find the trees to be home for them.

In addition to being a natural habitat for organisms, forests play an important role in the fixation of carbon. We are at a critical point in time where global warming is a burning issue and the entire world (except some few blockheads) is fighting against greenhouse gases. Trees, on the other hand, is designed to help reduce these gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases absorb radiations from the sun to warm up the planet. However, increase in their concentration in the atmosphere would mean an increase in the amount of radiation being absorbed. Consequently, they cause an increase in the temperature of the planet which has been a process responsible for a change in climate. Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas due to its ever-increasing concentration in the atmosphere through human activities. The potential of forest to sequestrate this gas is unlimited, provided there is enough forest on the planet. However, with increasing carbon dioxide concentration and decreasing forest areas, we can only hope for a miracle.

Trees can serve as saviours in times of troubles just as Spiderman would in its movies. Some winds have the capacity to achieve high speed and possess energy strong enough to destroy lives and properties, but trees (where present) would have done the rather unannounced job of breaking the energy long before hitting human shelters. Eventually, we wouldn’t really know what would have happened, or would we?

Forests and their component trees generally support life through the production of much more oxygen than needed for their own respiration. For every molecule of carbon dioxide fixed through photosynthesis, a molecule of oxygen is produced. Although plants are considered oxygen neutrals in the long run, their short-term oxygen production contributes to what humans and animals take-in to survive.

The aesthetic and general welfare contribution of trees to our environment cannot be overlooked. Have you ever had to take a shelter under a large tree on a scorching day? Only then would you have fully appreciated the existence of trees. Obviously, the relevance of trees to our environment cannot be overemphasized, yet humans keep removing these trees at a much faster rate than they are being replaced.

According to live science , deforestation is described as deliberate actions of man that lead to permanent removal of forests so as to make space for other uses such as constructions, farming etc. Majorly, farmers chop down trees because they need space to plant their crops or feed their animals, so as to generate money. Businessmen who deal in timber are another big cause of deforestation. Trees are also used to make papers, not to mention the other various uses like furniture, roofing, burglary, bridges, canoes, and many more. However, human actions that do not lead to permanent removal or conversion of forests to other use but lead to a reduction in the forest layers and productivity are termed degradation. The two terms even though often used interchangeably and produce similar effects, are not the same.

Degrading or removing forests at a faster rate than they are being replaced have some profound effects on both biotic and abiotic components of the environment. Statistics have shown that over eighty percent of animals that live on land and plants exist in the forest and may not actually survive if the forest is destroyed. Thousands of species have gone extinct due to the removal of their natural habitats. These plants and animals have their value to humans and the ecosystem. In a nutshell, deforestation causes an imbalance in the ecosystem.

I said it earlier that plants are oxygen neutral in the long run. They only store carbon and when they are removed and used for a variety of purpose, the carbon dioxide sequestered in their systems returns to the environment. Lesser forest cover means lesser sinks for greenhouse gas storage, more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, increased global temperature and more erratic climate.

Availability of forest covers helps to control erosion as well as protect watersheds. Roots keep layers of the soil together and keep them from being run off by fast-moving water. Fewer trees mean that rainwater can easily wash off the layers of the soil. Forest and its components also serve as heritage, provide food and medicinal remedies to illnesses and might be an insurance against future food scarcity and outbreak of diseases.

It would be unfair to conclude without highlighting the way forward against what could be a big ecological disaster in the future if not tamed. Whereas some think that reforestation is the ultimate remedy to curtail the trend, a synergistic approach of protecting the existing forests and establishing new ones would go a longer mile than mere reforestation. Protecting forests does not mean denying humans total access to forests and what it has to offer, but regulating its use to promote sustainability. If enough efforts have been put in place in the past, the ugly trend that we currently have would not have reared its head.