Search results
Learn what deforestation is, why it happens, and how it affects the environment and wildlife. Find out about slash and burn, logging, and other methods of clearing forests.
- Related Articles
Related Articles - deforestation - Kids | Britannica Kids |...
- Deforestation
Please enter a valid email address. To share with more than...
- Scholars
Scholars - deforestation - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework...
- Rainforest Peoples
Rainforests have been home to many groups of tribal peoples...
- Students
Britannica Kids, a safe and fact-checked online encyclopedia...
- Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope is an observatory that orbits...
- Related Articles
- Deforestation For Kids: What Is Deforestation?
- Reasons For Deforestation
- Timber (and Fuel) Production
- Food Production
- Crops Grown on Cleared Land
- Deforestation For Kids: How Fast Is The Rainforest Disappearing?
- What Is Deforestation: Effects
- Extinction
- Habitat Loss
- Environmental Effects of Deforestation
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
Deforestation is the removal of a forest so that the land on which it stood may be put to another use. Deforestation occurs for a number of reasons (see below), the most common being the conversion of the once-forested land into farmland, either for growing crops or for keeping livestock. Forests that are naturally occurring and which have never be...
The two main reasons for deforestation are food production and timber production. Other reasons for deforestation include mining, oil extraction, road building and urban expansion.
The most obvious reason for deforestation is to obtain timber. Although a significant amount of deforestation does occur as a result of trees being chopped down for timber (logging), it is not the biggest cause. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC) found that logging was responsible for 14% of deforestation. Trees that ...
As the world’s human population continues to rise, natural habitats – such as rainforests – are destroyed so that mankind can grow food to feed all of the people living on Earth. Farming is by far the biggest cause of deforestation.
Sugarcane
Sugarcane is grown to produce sugar for food and also to produce a chemical called ethanol. Ethanol can be used as an antiseptic (used to prevent infection in wounds), as a solvent and as fuel. Brazil is the world’s leading grower of sugarcane, and rainforest has been cleared to make way for the crop.
Oil Palms
Oil palms are grown to produce a vegetable oil called palm oil. Palm oil is used in food and for food production. It is also used in soap production and as a fuel. Rainforests in Indonesia and Malaysia have been particularly affected by deforestation for palm oil. In Indonesia, this has had a devastating effect on the critically endangered Sumatran orangutan. Forests are also cleared in Africa for palm oil production.
Soya Beans
Large areas of the Amazon rainforest have been cleared to grow soya beans (soybean in the US). Brazil is the world’s biggest producer of soya beans, which are used in animal and human foods. Schemes to encourage commercial crop growing are often created by governments. These schemes, such as Brazil’s ‘Advance Brazil’, often reward farmers, mine owners and other companies for developing land.
There are many estimates as to how much of rainforest has already been lost, and how fast the rainforest continues to disappear. It is thought that since 1950, over half of the trees in the world have been lost. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO), estimates that around half of the world’s rainforests have already been ...
Deforestation can cause: 1. Soil erosion (which can cause floods and landslides) 2. Droughts / aridity (when an area becomes too dry due to lack of rain) 3. Lack of biodiversity (the number of different species in an area becomes smaller) 4. Habitat loss (animals and plants lose their homes) 5. Climate change. Deforestation may contribute to global...
You may not know this, but it is a fact that a certain number of species go extinct naturally every day. Scientists call this the 'background extinction rate'. However, the rate of species going extinct is currently between 1,000 and 10,000 times the background extinction rate. This is in part caused by habitat loss caused by deforestation. Forests...
When large areas of the rainforest are cleared, many species lose their natural homes. Some may be able to move to other areas, but most will perish. Even those that can move may not survive. There is a limit to how many species an area can support. For example, a few acres of rainforest may hold enough prey animals for one tiger. If another tiger ...
Soil Erosion
In the rainforest, the roots of all the trees help stop the soil being washed away by rainwater. When the trees are chopped down, the rain washes away the soil, causing rivers and streams to be blocked. This can cause flooding and also affects the quality of drinking water for local people. Without vegetation to slow down the movement of water, localised flooding and flash floods are more likely to occur.
Learn what deforestation is, why it happens, and how it affects the environment and wildlife. Find out what is being done to stop deforestation and how you can help.
Oct 9, 2020 · Deforestation | Causes, Effects & Solutions | Video for Kids. learning junction. 393K subscribers. Subscribed. 8.4K. 665K views 3 years ago Geography. #Deforestation #WhatisDeforestation...
- 3 min
- 677.2K
- learning junction
What you need to know about Deforestation. Can you imagine Earth without forests? Here are some deforestation facts for kids that can be shared to raise their awareness about our environment: 13 million hectares of forest have been cleared for other uses or by natural disaster.
Jun 10, 2022 · Learn what deforestation is, why it happens, and how it affects the environment and wildlife. Find out some shocking statistics and examples of deforestation in different regions of the world.
Jun 8, 2024 · Deforestation is when forests are destroyed by cutting trees and not replanting them. The most common reason is to clear the land to make farms , ranches , and cities . Trees are also cut for firewood and lumber .
Learn why forests are important and how deforestation affects us all. Watch a video, read a transcript and download teacher notes for geography and science.
