Geralis Garcia 

28 October 2019

How can we conserve our wildlife and forests?

Our wildlife and forests are very vital aspects of our Earth. Forests provide the oxygen that we breathe, the wood we use for various purposes, and provide habitats for animals. Wildlife provides ecological balance. That is why it is important for us to conserve both forests and wildlife. Deforestation is an ongoing issue that has been getting out of hand lately. To put it in simple terms, deforestation is the removal of forests from the land. Deforestation can occur due to wildfires, conversion of forest land to different properties, and many other reasons. The Amazon rainforest fire is one example of deforestation occurring due to a wildfire. Of course, deforestation is not the only effect, but other causes of the wildfires include climate issues and human activity, which ultimately is affecting the world negatively. It’s important that we educate ourselves on this recurring issue because although it might sound harmless to some, it can cause major problems in the future. By knowing what causes deforestation to happen, we can then figure out solutions to resolve or at least lessen the issue. The research I’ve done has allowed me to gather some probable solutions to deforestations and ways to also help conserve our wildlife.  

In order to resolve an issue, you have to look at what’s causing it first. In this case, deforestation has many causes, and not everyone might know them. Forest fires and land conversion are two examples of these causes, as I previously mentioned. Some other causes identified are logging, mining, and agriculture. In the article, “Deforestation: Compromises of a Growing World,” it states logging is one main cause of deforestation. “Some of these industries thrive on illegal wood cutting and felling of trees.” (Rinkesh par 6). The author is referring to the many wood based industries that include paper, match-sticks, and furniture. These industries harvest copious amounts of wood and also do it illegally. This causes major deforestation when it’s done constantly. The author also mentions that mining is also a contributing factor. “Oil and coal mining require a considerable amount of forest land. […] roads and highways have to be built to make way for trucks […]. The waste that comes out from mining pollutes the environment […].” (par 9). The mining industry is also negatively affecting the forests. Not only do they have to clear the forests to mine the coal and oil, but they also have to clear more forest land to build transportation for the materials. Although we need and use these different resources, it isn’t helping us in the long run. This article may not be so credible, but it does provide practical information to consider. It would be useful to find alternatives in order to conserve and not cause so much damage to the Earth. Allen and Barnes state in ‘The Causes of Deforestation in Developing Countries’ that agriculture causes deforestation due to growing populations needing more food supplies (173). It seems that in order to maintain the population, the forests have to be sacrificed. Issues between human survival and nature do arise. In this case, the population has to get rid of the trees in order to make room for agriculture and other things. This is where it gets tricky because it’s one or the other. As previously mentioned, it would be better to try and find a solution in which both can survive. In the article, “Causes And Solutions For Deforestation: What You Can Do” by Josy O’Donnel, they mention the harmful effects of deforestation on our world. “Deforestation is a major problem for the world. Forests are home to 70 percent of the world’s animal and plant species.” (par 13). Due to this, not many species are able to survive, therefore leading to extinction. Not only does this affect the animals but humans who live in rural areas as well since the forests are what provide them with food and medicine. Deforestation also causes climate change. “Deforestation makes up about 15 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. Killing trees actually releases carbon dioxide, the most prevalent greenhouse gas.” (par 14). As forests keep being cleared, global warming rises due to the trees absorbing the harmful greenhouse gases. These gases are what destroy our ozone layer and contribute to global warming. Therefore the more trees that are cleared out, the faster climate change will happen. Although the credibility of this source is not very high, it’s still important to listen to the message they’re trying to get across.

Now that we have established the causes and effects, we can get to the solutions. Deforestation obviously isn’t going to be resolved overnight, but there are actions that can be taken in order to prevent it. In Earth Eclipse’s article by Sonia Madaan, the author gives eight solutions to deforestation. To name a few, some solutions are law and regulations, land use planning, and replanting. According to the author, the most useful and practical solution seems to be managing and planning forest usage. “Land use planning that centers on environmentally friendly development techniques like urban agriculture and lessening urban and suburban sprawl can considerably cut back deforestation.” (par 15). Although this source may not be credible, the details of the article can be useful. Due to the expansion of our population and more people needing shelter as well as agricultural practices taking place, the land slowly becomes less available. Since these activities need to happen in order for the survival of humanity, land use planning can be helpful to be able to guide the clearing of forests to a more environmentally friendly method. 

  There are many different opinions on what can be the most functional solution to deforestation. In the article, “What Drives Deforestation and What Stops It? A Meta-Analysis” written by Jonah Busch and Kalifi Ferretti-Gallon, gives a rundown on the causes of deforestation, similar to the ones previously mentioned. The article goes on to explain the solutions and give data to the meta-analysis that was done. The meta-analysis was based on deforestation and its different causes. They also come up with ways to stop deforestation before it gets more out of hand. “[…]there is preliminary evidence suggesting that policies related to stronger enforcement of forest laws and policies supporting the continued management of forests by indigenous peoples have the potential to reduce deforestation.” (par 50). The authors suggest passing laws and regulations in order to reduce the rate of deforestation. They use their evidence to come up with that conclusion, which can actually be useful to know since there is something backing up the reasoning. Passing laws can also be very functional, as well. It would force us to be mindful and control the management of forests. 

Amazon is one of the most well-known forests where deforestation occurs. It’s going through very drastic changes due to deforestation and other climate changes. William F. Laurence, the author of “Forest loss and fragmentation in the Amazon: implications for wildlife conservation,” talks about the Amazon and its future. Not only is the forest and climate being affected, but the wildlife that lives within it also gets affected as well. Animals should also be a concern to us because they’re part of our lives as well. The conservation of wildlife is just as important as climate change. “[…] local support for conservation appears to be growing in the Amazon. Today there are about 350 indigenous and environmental groups in Brazil (Anon, 1999).” (43) Environmental groups also seem to be a not so obvious solution. By having support groups, it helps raise and bring awareness to these issues. Support groups can also plan and direct people who are willing to make changes and help out. They are very helpful in any situation and can educate the masses as well. The local support in Brazil can help out the Amazon forest and its wildlife greatly. At the end of the article, the author mentions that “unless present trends are altered, the Amazon and its wildlife will be massively diminished in the years to come.” (43). This is something everyone should take into consideration. If we aren’t changing our habits and actions now, then the future can be severely affected. Things we take for granted will disappear fast, and then it’ll be too late to save it. That is why as long as we are taking some sort of action and are trying to prevent it earlier on, it can be very beneficial in the long run. Some people may argue that they don’t care for the future cause we might be gone by the time that all happens. This might be true, but in hindsight, seeing how past generations also wanted to reduce climate change, we should be able to do the same for future generations.

Brazil is an excellent example of a population that is trying to take immediate action for these issues. In the New York Times article, “Reducing Deforestation (and CO2) in Brazil,” written by Robert P. Walzer, Brazil’s actions as a country are shed into the light. It has already been stated that the Amazon forest is one of the most well-known examples of where deforestation occurs because it is one of the top 10 greenhouse gas emitters in the globe. The author mentions the different ways Brazil is trying to fix this. “[…] The country’s pledge last week that it would seek to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 36 percent or more over levels projected for 2020 […]” (par 2). They are taking on a pledge as a whole and are trying to reduce the harmful gases that are released from the Amazon. They are implementing a system that will monitor deforestation from individual farmers. With this implemented, they will be able to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions drastically. It’s a good thing they’re coming together as a country to help stop the harmful effects of deforestation. This allows for the country to come together for a good cause and actively try to fix the ongoing issues. 

Brazil has been taking measures to control the deforestation occurring in the Amazon rainforest. In an interview conducted by Richard Schiffman, Philip Fearnside is the scientist who is being interviewed. He talks about the different solutions Brazil seemed to have implemented to reduce deforestation. He is also asked in what ways he thinks deforestation can be resolved. “The government also needs to have much tighter controls on major development projects.” (Fearnside). He mentions how governments should control projects better and implement more regulations. A lot of people say laws can be very effective when it comes to reducing deforestation. Brazil was able to take some control of their deforestation problem by having regulations as well as land planning. Therefore, these measures have been proven to work. If more countries would take action the way, Brazil has, it would help our environment and wildlife tremendously. 

  To conclude, deforestation can be resolved. The measures taken in order to reduce deforestation and conserve our wildlife are mainly applying laws and regulations and coming together as a civilization. Through this, we can reduce and maybe even put a stop to deforestation completely. It’s not easy, but in order to make sure our Earth survives, we need to take action. Otherwise, future generations might not be able to survive as long as we have. Our wildlife and nature should also be preserved as well. They are vital to our survival as they help us in many ways. Deforestation is an ongoing cause that seems to keep growing as the years pass by. Climate change has also been getting out of hand recently. There are a lot of issues surrounding our Earth and our survival. That is why we need to be the generation to take action in order to see a change.

 

Works Cited

Allen, Julia C., and Douglas F. Barnes. “The Causes of Deforestation in Developing Countries.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers, JStor, June 1985, www.jstor.org/stable/2562560?Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=causes&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Ddeforestation%2Bcauses&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_SYC-4693%2Ftest&refreqid=search%3A363095a4a373055dcb503a67fb937f15&seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents.

Busch, Jonah, and Kalifi Ferretti-Gallon. “What Drives Deforestation and What Stops It? A Meta-Analysis.” OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 11 Mar. 2017, academic.oup.com/reep/article/11/1/3/3066302.

Madaan, Sonia. “8 Fantastic Solutions to Deforestation.” Earth Eclipse, 11 Sept. 2017, www.eartheclipse.com/environment/fantastic-solutions-to-deforestation.html.

Laurance, William F., et al. “Forest Loss and Fragmentation in the Amazon: Implications for Wildlife Conservation.” Oryx, vol. 34, no. 1, 2000, pp. 39–45., doi:10.1046/j.1365-3008.2000.00094.x.

O’Donnel, Josy. “Causes And Solutions For Deforestation: What You Can Do.” Conservation Institute, 21 Aug. 2019, www.conservationinstitute.org/solutions-for-deforestation/.

Rinkesh. “Deforestation – Causes, Effects and Solutions.” Conserve Energy Future, 25 Dec. 2016, www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-of-deforestation.php.

Schiffman, Richard. “What Lies Behind the Recent Surge of Amazon Deforestation.” YaleEnvironment360, 2015. e360.yale.edu/features/what_lies_behind_the_recent_surge_of_amazon_deforestation. Accessed 2019.

Walzer, Robert P. “Reducing Deforestation (and CO2) in Brazil.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 16 Nov. 2009, green.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/reducing-deforestation-and-co2-in-brazil/?searchResultPosition=15.