The Consequences Of Deforestation

Reduction of Deforestation
For the preservation of the natural ecosystem, forests are important both to human beings and animals. For instance, forests are water catchment areas that enable production of food for sustainable living. In addition, they are natural habitats for wildlife and contribute to the preservation of biodiversity. Forests are also responsible for maintaining carbon balance by absorbing excess carbon gases from the atmosphere. Therefore, cutting down of trees can be harmful to the environment and its ability to sustain life. Deforestation can lead to droughts, desertification, and reduced food production. Unfortunately, the world is currently experiencing large scale deforestation because of the increasing need for raw materials for

The most important aspect is that recycling saves forests, which are most suited for protecting wildlife, preserving biodiversity, and reducing atmospheric carbon. Recycling substitutes trees with used paper and decreases the overall intensity of forest management required to satisfy a given demand for paper. As a result, it can reduce the pressure to convert wetlands, natural forests, and other sensitive areas into tree plantations. In 2012, reports from the United States Forest and Paper Association indicated that 65 percent of paper consumed in the United States were recovered for recycling. According to Jefferson, the amount of paper consumed in the United States annually represents about 640 million trees or an equivalent of 915,000 acres of forest land (n.p.). This means that recycling all the paper consumed in the United States in a year instead of manufacturing virgin paper would save approximately 915,000 acres of forest land. This would reduce the need to cut down forests and convert them into plantations. As a result, forests will remain as an ecosystem that offers wildlife habitat, greater recreational value, and carbon