Deforestation is an ecological problem briefly. Deforestation - problems of the forest. Deforestation is an environmental problem. The forest is the lungs of the planet. Why is it important to conserve forests

Scientists have long been talking about the harmful effects of technological progress on nature. Climate change, the melting of ice, the decline in the quality of drinking water have a very negative impact on people's lives. Ecologists around the world have long sounded the alarm about pollution and the destruction of nature. One of the most important is deforestation. Forest problems are visible especially in civilized states. Environmentalists believe that deforestation leads to many negative consequences for the Earth and humans. Without forests, there will be no life on Earth, this must be understood by those on whom their preservation depends. However, wood has long been a commodity that is expensive. And that is why the problem of deforestation is solved with such difficulty. Perhaps people just do not think that their whole life depends on this ecosystem. Although since ancient times everyone has revered the forest, giving it often magical functions. He was the breadwinner and personified the life-giving force of nature. He was loved, the trees were treated with care, and they responded to our ancestors in the same way.

Forests of the planet

In all countries, in every corner of the world, massive deforestation is taking place. The problems of the forest are that with the destruction of trees, many more species of plants and animals die. broken in nature. After all, the forest is not only trees. This is a well-coordinated ecosystem based on the interaction of many representatives of flora and fauna. In addition to trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, lichens, insects, animals and even microorganisms are of great importance in its existence. Despite massive deforestation, forests still occupy about 30% of the land area. This is more than 4 billion hectares of land. More than half of them are tropical forests. However, the northern ones, especially coniferous massifs, also play a great role in the ecology of the planet. The greenest countries in the world are Finland and Canada. In Russia, there are about 25% of the world's forest reserves. The least number of trees left in Europe. Now forests occupy only a third of its territory, although in ancient times it was completely covered with trees. And, for example, in England there are almost none left, only 6% of the land is given over to parks and forest plantations.

Rainforests

They occupy more than half of the entire territory of green spaces. Scientists have calculated that about 80% of animal species live there, which, without the usual ecosystem, can die. However, the deforestation of tropical forests is now proceeding at an accelerated pace. In some regions, such as West Africa or Madagascar, about 90% of the forest has already disappeared. A catastrophic situation has also developed in the countries of South America, where more than 40% of the trees have been cut down. The problems of tropical forests are not only the business of the countries in which they are located. The destruction of such a huge massif will lead to an ecological catastrophe. After all, it is difficult to assess the role that forests play in the life of mankind. Therefore, scientists around the world are sounding the alarm.

The meaning of the forest

Use of forests for the benefit of people

Green spaces are important for humans not only because they regulate the water cycle and provide all living things with oxygen. About a hundred fruit and berry trees and shrubs, as well as nuts, more than 200 species of edible and medicinal herbs and mushrooms grow in the forest. Many animals are hunted there, such as sable, marten, squirrel or black grouse. But most of all, a person needs wood. This is what causes deforestation. The problem with the forest is that without trees, the entire ecosystem dies. So why does a person need wood?

Deforestation

Forest problems arise when this happens uncontrollably, often illegally. After all, forests have been cut down for a long time. And for 10 thousand years of human existence, about two-thirds of all trees have already disappeared from the face of the Earth. Especially a lot began to cut down the forest in the Middle Ages, when more and more space was required for construction and farmland. And now every year about 13 million hectares of forest are destroyed and almost half of them are places where no human has ever set foot before. Why is the forest cut down?

• to make room for construction (after all, the growing population of the Earth needs to build new cities);
• as in ancient times, the forest is cut down with slash-and-burn agriculture, freeing up space for arable land;
• the development of animal husbandry requires more and more space for pastures;
• forests often interfere with the extraction of minerals, so needed by mankind for technological progress;
• and finally, wood is now a very valuable commodity used in many industries.

What kind of forest can be cut down

For a long time, the disappearance of forests has attracted the attention of scientists. Different states are trying to somehow regulate this process. All forest areas were divided into three groups:

Types of deforestation

In most states, forest problems are of concern to many scientists and government representatives. Therefore, at the legislative level, felling is limited there. However, the fact is that it is often carried out illegally. And although it is considered poaching and is punishable by heavy fines or imprisonment, mass destruction of forests for profit is on the rise. For example, almost 80% of deforestation in Russia is carried out illegally. Moreover, wood is mainly sold abroad. And what are the official types of felling?

What damage does deforestation cause?

The ecological problem of the disappearance of the so-called "lungs" of the planet is already worrying many. Most people believe that this threatens to reduce oxygen stores. This is true, but this is not the main problem. The extent to which deforestation has now taken on is striking. A satellite photo of the former woodland helps to visualize the situation. What can this lead to:

• the ecosystem of the forest is being destroyed, many representatives of flora and fauna are disappearing;
• the decrease in the amount of wood and the diversity of plants leads to a deterioration in the quality of life of most people;
• the amount of carbon dioxide increases, which leads to the formation of the greenhouse effect;
• trees cease to protect the soil (washing out of the upper layer leads to the formation of ravines, and the lowering of the groundwater level causes the appearance of deserts);
• soil moisture increases, due to which swamps are formed;
• scientists believe that the disappearance of trees on the slopes of the mountains leads to the rapid melting of glaciers.

According to researchers, deforestation causes damage to the world economy in the amount of up to 5 trillion dollars a year.

How are forests harvested?

How is deforestation done? The photo of the area where the felling has recently taken place is an unsightly view: bare terrain, almost devoid of vegetation, stumps, patches of fires and strips of bare soil. How does it work? The name "cutting down" has been preserved since the time when trees were felled with an axe. Now chainsaws are used for this. After the tree has fallen to the ground, the branches are cut off and burned. The bare trunk is taken away almost immediately. And they move it to the place of transportation by dragging, hitching it to a tractor. Therefore, there remains a strip of bare land with torn vegetation and destroyed undergrowth. Thus, young shoots are destroyed, which could revive the forest. At this place, the ecological balance is completely violated and other conditions for vegetation are created.

What happens after cutting

In open space, completely different conditions are created. Therefore, a new forest grows only where the cutting area is not very large. What prevents young plants from getting stronger:

• The light level changes. Those undergrowth plants that are accustomed to living in the shade die.
• Other temperature regime. Without tree protection, there is a sharper temperature fluctuation, frequent night frosts. This also leads to the death of many plants.
• An increase in soil moisture can lead to waterlogging. And the wind blowing moisture from the leaves of young shoots does not allow them to develop normally.
• The death of the roots and the decomposition of the forest floor release many nitrogenous compounds that enrich the soil. However, those plants that need just such minerals feel better on it. Raspberries or Ivan-tea grow most quickly in clearings, birch or willow shoots develop well. Therefore, the restoration of deciduous forests goes quickly if a person does not interfere in this process. But coniferous trees grow very poorly after cutting down, since they reproduce by seeds for which there are no normal development conditions. Deforestation has such negative consequences. The solution to the problem - what is it?

Solving deforestation

Ecologists offer many ways to save forests. Here are just a few of them:

• the transition from paper to electronic media, waste paper collection and separate waste collection will reduce the use of wood for paper production;
• creation of forest farms where those with the shortest maturation periods will be grown;
• a ban on felling in nature protection zones and tougher penalties for this;
• raising the state duty on the export of timber abroad to make it unprofitable.

The disappearance of forests does not yet excite the average person. However, many problems are associated with this. When all people understand that it is forests that provide them with a normal existence, maybe they will treat trees more carefully. Each person can contribute to the revival of the planet's forests by planting at least one tree.

One of the most important sectors of the Russian economy is the logging industry. Russia is one of the largest producers and exporters of wood - the fifth place in the world, the second place in Europe.

According to UN statistics, half of the territory of our country is covered with forests, and the total forest area of ​​Russia (851 million hectares) is one fifth of the forest area of ​​the planet Earth. Two thirds of these forests are suitable for use in the forest industry.

However, despite the huge resource potential, the efficiency of the Russian timber industry is extremely low. According to the representative of the Union of Timber Manufacturers and Exporters of Russia, the Russian timber industry is characterized by a low technical level of production, a technological lag behind world trends, low profitability and unstable financial position of industry enterprises, poorly developed road and industrial infrastructure, and a low level of forestry engineering. Therefore, according to experts, the timber industry in Russia is low-income - the producer's income from one cubic meter of wood is several times less than the average on the international logging market.

A separate serious problem for the Russian timber industry is illegal logging and the subsequent sale of illegally harvested timber (""). According to the World Wildlife Fund of Russia and the World Bank, up to 20% of timber harvested in the Russian Federation is of illegal origin. Then it turns out that the volume of illegal timber products in our country in 2015 amounted to 40-50 million cubic meters. meters of wood, since in total 206 million cubic meters were harvested that year. meters.

- Authorities at all levels should be interested in establishing independent control over the industry(""). Everything should be monitored and recorded in open sources: from work on plots to timber sales transactions, and, first of all, the activities of large companies should be taken under control. All information should be as ordered, accessible and transparent as possible.

The involvement of a large number of people in illegal logging is a consequence of the negative socio-economic situation in the regions, low incomes of the population and, most importantly, high unemployment. Targeted persecution and punishment of individual violators basically only lead to the fact that people are looking for new ways to circumvent the law and law enforcement agencies. It is necessary to create jobs, develop infrastructure, work to improve the living standards of the population, give the territories the opportunity to develop, stimulate them to make it profitable for them to pay taxes and put things in order. Only such measures, which affect the socio-economic environment as a whole, can radically change the situation with small-scale poaching.

- The Russian economy needs to shift its focus from resource extraction to manufacturing. For the forest industry, this is an extremely important task. So, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in 2014, in the structure of Russian exports of wood and wood products, 69% were sawn timber and raw timber, and wood joinery - only 2% ("").

To sum up, now the flow of timber export from the country has been established, and a significant part of the forest is cut down barbarously, chaotically and illegally. Thus, the country does not just sell natural resources abroad - it also loses a significant part of the income from these sales, the timber is simply stolen. The first priority is to combat illegal logging. However, in the strategic plan, an equally important task is the transition from the export of raw materials abroad to the processing of wood within the country. It can be done only by the forces of state incentives, since at present there are no conditions on the market under which it would be profitable for entrepreneurs to massively invest in the retraining of enterprises.

It's hard to overestimate. No wonder the trees. They generally constitute a single ecosystem that affects the life of various species, soil, atmosphere, water regime. Many people do not even realize what a disaster deforestation will lead to if it is not stopped.

Deforestation problem

At the moment, the problem of cutting down trees is relevant for all continents of the earth, but this problem is most acute in the countries of Western Europe, South America, and Asia. Intensive destruction of forests leads to the problem of deforestation. The territory, freed from trees, turns into a poor landscape, becomes unsuitable for life.

To understand how close a disaster is, you should pay attention to a number of facts:

• more than half have already been destroyed, and it will take hundreds of years to restore them;
• now only 30% of the land is occupied by forests;
• regular felling of trees leads to an increase in carbon monoxide in the atmosphere by 6-12%;
• every minute disappears the territory of the forest, which is equal in size to several football fields.

Reasons for deforestation

Some of the most common reasons for felling trees include:

• wood has a high value as a building material and a raw material for paper, cardboard, and the manufacture of household items;
• often destroy forests to expand new agricultural land;
• for laying communication lines and roads

In addition, a large number of trees suffer as a result, which constantly occur due to improper handling of fire. They also happen during the dry season.

Illegal deforestation

Quite often, tree felling occurs illegally. In many countries of the world, there are not enough institutions and people who can control the process of deforestation. In turn, entrepreneurs in this area sometimes commit violations, annually increasing the volume of deforestation. It is also believed that timber supplied by poachers who do not have a license to operate comes through to the market. There is an opinion that the introduction of a high duty on timber would significantly reduce the sale of timber abroad, and, accordingly, would reduce the number of felled trees.

Deforestation in Russia

Russia is one of the leading wood producers. Together with Canada, these two countries contribute about 34% of the total amount of exported material in the world market. The most active areas where trees are cut down are the territory of Siberia and the Far East. As for illegal logging, everything is solved by paying fines. However, this does not contribute to the restoration of the forest ecosystem in any way.

The main result of tree cutting is deforestation, which has a lot of consequences:

• climate change;
• environmental pollution;
• ecosystem change;
• destruction of a large number of plants;
• animals are forced to leave their usual habitats;
• deterioration of the atmosphere;
• deterioration in nature;
• soil destruction, which will lead to;
• emergence of environmental refugees.

Deforestation permit

Companies that cut down trees must obtain a special permit for this activity. To do this, you need to submit an application, a plan of the area where the felling is carried out, a description of the types of trees that will be cut down, as well as a number of papers for coordination with various services. In general, obtaining such a permit is difficult. However, this does not completely rule out the illegality of deforestation. It is recommended to tighten this procedure while it is still possible to save the forests on the planet.

Sample permit for deforestation

What will happen to the planet if all the trees are cut down

Deforestation is the process of destroying trees, vines or shrubs. It is mainly produced in order to obtain a large amount of wood, and in some cases - to renew and improve the forest, as well as to increase its productivity. Uncontrolled deforestation is becoming a frequent cause of deforestation, that is, the process of gradual transformation of the area occupied by the forest into land such as wastelands or pastures. There are several types of deforestation: complete, sanitary, maintenance and general use.

Is it possible to determine the actual rate of deforestation?

This is quite difficult to do. These data are compiled by the United Nations Agricultural and Food Company, which is usually based on official data received from the relevant ministries of the countries. Another organization, the World Bank in Peru, testifies that in Bolivia, eighty percent of harvesting is illegal, and in Colombia - about forty-two. Deforestation in Brazil and the Amazon is happening much faster than scientists thought. The cutting speed is highly dependent on the region. Now it is highest in developing countries that are in the tropical zone (Nigeria, Brazilian state of Rondonia, Mexico, Philippines, India, Indonesia, Guinea, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Laos, Ghana and others).

How does deforestation affect the atmosphere?

Gradual deforestation contributes to a warmer climate. Deforestation, which are located in the tropical zone, is responsible for about twenty percent of greenhouse gases. In the course of their life, plants (trees, shrubs, grass) remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Burning and rotting trees release stored carbon into the atmosphere. To avoid this process, wood must be made into durable products and forests must be replanted.

How does deforestation affect the water cycle?

Trees feed on groundwater through their roots. In this case, the water rises to the leaves and evaporates. Deforestation makes this process impossible, resulting in a drier climate. Deforestation, among other things, negatively affects the ability of the soil to retain precipitation, as well as the penetration of moisture deep into the continents.

How does deforestation affect the soil?

Gradual deforestation reduces soil adhesion. This, in turn, can lead to landslides and flooding.

How does deforestation affect wildlife?

The main negative effect of logging is to reduce the diversity of flora and fauna. In this case, the greatest damage is done to tropical forests.

Deforestation problem

Deforestation is an urgent and urgent problem that exists in many countries. Uncontrolled deforestation affects climatic, ecological and socio-economic characteristics, and also significantly reduces the quality of life. Gradual deforestation leads to a decrease in timber stocks and to a decrease in biodiversity. Many scientists believe that the most ominous consequences of deforestation are increased

Once upon a time, forests covered most of the land surface. With the growth of the population and the development of agriculture, and then industry, mass deforestation was carried out. The release of territories for plowing and burning of forests is still used in tropical zones.

The value of forests for humanity

Invisible to the eye, but the most important value of trees is the production of oxygen. Tree species well collect soot and exhaust gases, which saturate the atmosphere with industrial enterprises, cars, state district power plants, etc.

Forests supply mankind with materials for construction, raw materials for medicines, the production of alcohol, and paper. Large forest areas serve as a home for numerous species of animals and birds, some of which are objects of human hunting. Trees block the path of cold atmospheric currents and strong winds that dry out the soil. In forested areas, soil moisture accumulates, which serves as the basis for the formation of streams that merge into rivers.

The problem of forest conservation is becoming more acute with the increase in the number of people and the increase in their needs for food, places for building cities, the consumption of forest resources and fresh water.

Forest groups

Forests are divided into several groups. According to the importance for ecology and economy, there are:

1. Guarded and protective. These include forest belts, overgrown slopes, coastal massifs, etc. These plantations serve to preserve soil and water bodies. Protective forests also include areas of sanitary and hygienic significance (forest parks and suburban areas), ecologically important massifs (national parks, nature reserves, etc.). This group occupies approximately 17% of the total population.
2. Limited operation. Natural and artificial plantations in places with high population density. This category is 7%.
3. Common use. These forests serve as the main base for timber and other forest products.

Why should forest areas be conserved?

The forest area is a living ecosystem in which there are no unnecessary elements. The disappearance of forests violates the biological balance in the adjacent territory:

• swamping of low-lying areas occurs;
• on the hills, erosion begins (the formation of ravines, overdrying, etc.);
• a large number of plants, animals, fungi, etc. disappear;
• an increase in carbon dioxide, a greenhouse effect occurs.

The answer to the question of what will happen if all the trees are cut down can be numerous examples of aridization of vast territories of the Black Earth belt of Russia. With the reduction of oak forests and the plowing of lands in these areas, the climate has changed since the beginning of the formation of the first human cultures. By the XIX-XX centuries. the territories were most exposed to summer dry winds, drying up crops and sometimes carrying away the fertile plowed soil layer. Unusually severe frosts in the European territory of Russia are also considered a consequence of the destruction of the northern woodlands.

What is a forest for an ecosystem?

For the overall ecosystem of the planet, trees are the only producer of oxygen. This gas is necessary for the respiration of living beings and regulates the temperature on the surface of the planet. The reduction of plantings contributes to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and increases its heating. Evaporation of moisture by leaves provides air and soil moisture suitable for life, and when deforestation occurs, the water balance is disturbed.

Forest ecology is considered a branch of general environmental science. The study of communities is carried out not at the level of 1 organism, but at the level of interactions of different populations with each other and with ecosystems of territories adjacent to forests.

For the ecosystem of the planet, forests are an important component, on the normal activity of which both the climate and the diversity of species depend.

What does cutting lead to?

Deforestation is not only destruction. With properly performed sanitary or user felling, the ecology practically does not suffer. Enterprises conducting systematic timber harvesting carry out compensatory measures.

With predatory use, deforestation leads to:

• to extinction of species;
• to increased soil erosion;
• to disruption of the carbon cycle and global warming.

Damage to the planet by deforestation

The rate of felling in the taiga and tropical zones is poorly compensated by the restoration processes. Over the past 50 years, the area covered by forests has decreased by more than 2 times. Planted young trees, especially valuable conifers, grow slowly and cannot mitigate the effects of deforestation.

Consequences of deforestation

The destruction of forests in vast areas leads to sudden temperature changes in winter and summer, unusual for the area. In deforested areas, the frequency of precipitation changes, and the wind speed increases. When wood is burned, large amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are released into the atmosphere. These effects contribute approximately 25% to the creation of the greenhouse effect. Aridization of the climate or waterlogging of soils in deforested areas are the cause of the migration of ethnic groups of the people themselves.

Problems with forest ecology

The ecology of the forest is disturbed when only 20% of large trees, which form its basis, are removed. Broad-leaved and coniferous plants, which have reached the age of several decades, serve as a shelter for growing young seedlings. These elements of the system suffer from the wheels of the equipment used for felling. But even without taking into account such an impact, the disappearance of protection from the sun and frost contributes to the death of part of the vegetation and animals deprived of food and shelter.

The main reasons for felling

The reasons for deforestation are not varied. Most often, uncontrolled felling is carried out for the purpose of selling commercial timber, which is used only for trunks no thinner than 15 cm in diameter. The rest is recognized as waste and is left in place during predatory felling. Branches and other residues serve as a pollutant and a medium for the development of pathogenic fungi and putrefactive bacteria.

In addition, cutting can be:

• sanitary;
• caring;
• fire fighting;
• common use.

With systematic measures, only part of the plants are removed. Most often these are diseased or dead trees that interfere with the passage, too dense undergrowth, etc. Many types of such logging contribute to the preservation of the ecosystem in a balanced state.

Punching methods

Depending on the group to which the array is assigned, only certain types of cuttings can be carried out in it. In protected protected areas, only sanitary cleaning is carried out, removing diseased and emergency trees. Landings of common use can be cut down completely with the obligatory reclamation of the site. At the same time, where there was a felled forest, fast-growing species are planted.

It is carried out in different ways:

• selective logging allows you to remove only part of the trees that have reached maturity;
• with a continuous one, the entire area is cut down, and then it is planted in order to get another batch of ripe wood in 15-20 years;
• gradual allows you to select trees in several steps.

Plant care cutting

With this method, small and thickening trees are eliminated. This helps to ventilate and light the array, grow more valuable specimens, and increase the overall productivity of the array. Felled trees are used as technological raw materials.

Integrated

Contributes to the restoration of forest quality and accelerates the reconstruction of the ecosystem. Less valuable breeds are removed, giving opportunities for the growth of slow-growing valuable breeds, eliminating species competition for territory and soil. With complex felling, there is no destruction of forests.

Sanitary

Sick and dead trees are to be removed. Dead wood contributes to the occurrence of fires, so felling can also be attributed to varieties useful for the massif. The sanitary group also includes the conduct of fire-fighting clearings in forest park areas and landscape felling, ennobling areas for visiting vacationers.

Statistics on deforestation in the world and in Russia

According to the statistics of deforestation in the world, about 20 hectares of plantations are destroyed in 1 minute on the planet. Tropical massifs suffer the most. But 1st place in the world in felling (4.2 thousand hectares per year) is occupied by Russia. Canada and Brazil are in 2nd and 3rd places: both in the north and in the south of the American continent, more than 2 thousand hectares are destroyed. In the forest areas of the USA and Indonesia, more than 1.5 thousand hectares are released annually.

Uncontrolled deforestation in a number of African states has already led to the disappearance of 70% of the continent's forest reserves.

According to incomplete statistics, more than 3 thousand hectares are cut down here annually. Almost all fellings are poaching and predatory, and allow you to receive income from the sale of valuable species of wood.

Legal and illegal logging

In Russia, felling is regulated by law. The following information is required for issuing a ticket:

• indication of reason and statement;
• plan of the area and the site for felling;
• description of cut down plant species.

Cutting and removal of trees without a logging ticket is regarded as illegal logging.

Global fight against deforestation

Some countries with forest areas impose restrictions on the use of forests in the national economy. But the most stringent measures have been taken by the government of Norway: zero logging has been declared there. The country provides financial support to organizations in tropical countries that deal with the restoration of arrays in their territories. The refusal to purchase timber raw materials from foreign producers was also officially announced.

Measures to eliminate damage caused by logging

The problem of deforestation worries environmental organizations around the world. This is the reason why there are more and more protests against deforestation.

In the regions of Russia, residents of forest areas in Siberia and the Urals hold pickets and demonstrations to protect areas adjacent to cities.

These areas are often subject to release for construction or road construction.

Measures to restore forests are to increase the volume of plantations produced, protect them from fires. Many areas with the presence of coniferous species are declared reserved or protected, and the number of such areas is increased due to artificial plantations.