Do you know the main cause of deforestation around the world? We’ll give you a hint: it’s not manufacturing. While the extraction of resources (wood) to make goods is certainly a factor, it is not the biggest reason our forests—boreal, mangrove, deciduous, tropical, coniferous—are being uprooted and cleared away at a rate of about 10 million hectares (or nearly 25 million acres) every year. Of this loss, 95% of it is occurring in tropical rainforests, particularly in Brazil and Indonesia.
The primary reason? Agriculture. Between land clearing for raising livestock as well as growing oilseed crops (palm oil, for example), this accounts for nearly 60% of all deforestation. When we consider land clearing for the consumption of timber (wood products), this number goes up to 75%.
Wildfires also play a role in the destruction of our forests—that includes our global rainforests, too. And while it’s true that wildfires are a natural part of a balanced ecosystem, the megafires we’re seeing today (such as those that recently took place in Los Angeles) are a direct result of human influence and climate change. Soil erosion due to monocropping (agriculture), overtaxing the freshwater supply, and the overdevelopment of wild lands all contribute to weakening habitats that are highly susceptible to wildfire damage.
Bad for Our Planet
Forests cover nearly 31% of the world. In fact, it’s estimated that more than three billion people in non-urban areas live within one kilometer (just over half a mile) of a forest. Why does this matter? Because our forests play pivotal roles in many key systems we all rely on for survival—urban and rural alike—including oxygen production, carbon dioxide storage, freshwater filtration, natural resources and food production, and even shelter.
But, perhaps most important, forests are a haven for biodiversity. There are tens of thousands of species of trees which can be found in our global forest, with countless more plant and animal species that rely on these forests for habitat. In fact, it’s estimated that 68% of mammal species, 75% of bird species, and 80% of amphibian species call forests home. In order to be healthy and provide all of the benefits listed above, ecosystems need to be biodiverse, meaning that they possess a vast number of species, plant and animal alike.
When we clear forests for short-term financial gain, such as growing palm oil (this is a short-term benefit because monocropping—planting only one type of crop—quickly strips the soil of its nutrients, making it less capable of growing quality crops in the future, thus requiring more land to do so), we’re doing irreparable long-term harm to the systems we need to survive in a healthy, thriving world. In other words, we’re not seeing the forest for the trees.
Bad for Our Health
Our planet isn’t the only thing that suffers when we cut down our forests at rapid rates. Human health is intrinsically connected to the health of our planet. It’s the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat. Forests can even help regulate nearby temperatures, reducing the hazards of extreme heat and buffering against freezing cold, as well as prevent against infectious disease outbreaks.
However, the more biodiversity is lost, the more these benefits suffer. For example, health epidemics of vector-borne diseases (diseases carried by a blood-feeding insect, such as mosquitos) are able to spread far more easily when the natural predators of these insects are reduced in number. In the case of deforestation, this population decline occurs when humans remove the natural habitats of these predators. As a result, harmful diseases such as Ebola, Malaria, and Lyme disease spread at far greater rates.
Likewise, we count on our forests for cleaner air. Not only for the production of oxygen, but also the storage of carbon dioxide. In fact, second to our oceans, forests are essential for capturing, processing, and storing carbon. American forests alone are responsible for sequestering (absorbing) roughly 800 million tons of carbon every single year. This carbon is captured through photosynthesis and then stored in the bodies of the trees themselves as well as in the soil around them. This is especially true for old growth forests that have reached maturity untouched by humans and have extremely healthy and stable ecosystems as a result, making them even more efficient at carbon sequestration. When we cut down forests, we’re not only removing critical oxygen-producers and habitats, we’re also re-introducing all this trapped carbon back into the atmosphere.
Bad for Our Wallets
Turns out, when we do things that are bad for our planet and bad for our health, it’s really, really expensive. In May 2023, World Bank released a report called A Balancing Act for Brazil’s Amazonian State which analyzed the cost of deforestation and biodiversity loss in Brazil. The number was an astronomical $317 billion a year. This is seven times higher than the country’s combined economic gain of extensive agriculture (e.g., ranching), logging, and mining combined.
The cost of business at the expense of our planet is high and researchers have been warning about this for a long time. Back in 2008, the very first report from the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity study, backed by the United Nations, came out swinging. After evaluating 1,100 studies covering various countries and ecosystems, it was estimated that the total cost of annual forest loss amounts to $2 and $5 trillion dollars a year. How is this number so high? Because of the number of benefits forests provide to humans. So far, we’ve mentioned clean air, clean water, food, healthy soil, carbon storage, temperature regulation, and disease mitigation. Other benefits include various types of fuel, fiber, and medicine as well as flood protection. (And that’s not to mention the millions of people and communities—especially rural communities—that rely on our forests for income.)
When added up, these benefits far outweigh any short-term profit gains from agriculture or mining. Rather, the costs are far steeper. Costs that, without a doubt, are felt by the end consumer (that’s you!) in the price of everyday goods and services and, more importantly, your health.
What Do We Do Instead?
It’s very clear that we need to stop deforestation (like, yesterday), but how do we get there? And how do we supplement these short-term gains (palm oil monocropping, mining, etc.) for long-term success (a livable planet)? The answer is multifaceted (layered—like an onion!) but it’s absolutely doable!
Our big picture, longer-term goals are these:
- Move toward a sustainable agriculture model that allows us to meet the food demands of our growing human population without sacrificing the well-being of the environment (and our own health as a result). No cutting down of trees required.
- Establish punitive measures (punishments) for companies that source raw materials rather than using recycled materials wherever possible.
- Create more international oversight and protections for critical ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots—like so many of our forests—in order to protect critical ecosystem functions and processes. (Check out the 30×30 Project to learn more.)
- Forest restoration, baby. Let the replanting begin!
While achievable, these goals are going to take time and effort to implement—not from one country alone, but from all of us as a collective. So, what can be done in the near future to ensure that this work begins to take shape, and we are moving in the right direction?
This may sound counterintuitive, but it’s time to get really, really, REALLY… annoying. (Do you see where this is going? I think some of you just groaned.)
Yes, that’s right, it’s time to reach out to your representatives!
Talking to Your Representatives
Here’s the thing: our representatives in our cities, in our states, and in Congress—they work for us. Their jobs are literally on the line. So, it’s really important that we communicate to them what we DO and DO NOT want as well as how we think they are performing in representing us. They won’t know unless we tell them.
So, let’s tell them to support efforts combatting deforestation and educate them on why it’s so important. Tell your friends, family members, and community members to do the same.
To make it super easy, we’ve compiled a few resources for you:
- Click here to find out who your elected representatives are at all levels of government.
- Follow the script below to communicate the importance of our forests.
Spread the Word!
Dear [REPRESENTATIVE’S NAME],
Our forests are an invaluable resource for the production of daily necessities and, even more importantly, for the capture and storage of carbon from our atmosphere and for the health of our global water cycle. Forests are also home to more than 80% of the world’s species, making them critical for global biodiversity. The role of these habitats cannot be understated.
Yet our forests are constantly under attack. Forest clearing for agriculture, mining, logging, and urbanization (just to name a few) is devastating habitats and communities across our country, including here in [MUNICIPALITY/STATE]. To ensure a healthy future for all citizens, we need to prioritize and restore our forests.
As your constituent, I want you to support and work to pass policies, legislation, and resource allocation for the health and sustainable usage of our forests. I want you to combat any policies, legislation, and/or resource allocation that prioritizes the wealth of corporations over the health of people and the critical resources we all rely on.
Please let me know what actions you plan to take to address this critical issue. I look forward to hearing from you.
[YOUR NAME]
