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Described as the nature’s holocaust, deforestation is the mass destruction of millions of acres of tropical rainforests for construction, commercial logging, shifting cultivators, cattle grazing, excessive farming of cash crops, mining, etc.
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| Turbulences |
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Deforestation leads to significant regional and global climate change. Trees return ground water to the atmosphere through transpiration, which then condenses into inland rain. Deforestation disrupts this water cycle causing drought and famine. It also affects the carbon cycle since there are fewer trees to use atmospheric carbon dioxide to convert it to plant sugars. Increase in carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, leads to global warming. Millions of classified and unclassified microorganisms, algae, insects and birds that once depended on these trees are displaced permanently. Changes in the soil microorganism, texture, and composition do not necessarily support agriculture efficiently in the long run and are serious issues, which cannot be addressed by reforestation programs. Deforestation rapidly leads to desertification of soil rendering it unfit for cultivation, leading to shortages in food supply. Indigenous knowledge lost with the displaced forest dwellers, as well as lost ecological niche has severely depleted our resource bank of medicinal plants and compounds, which account for an ever growing and large percentage of pharmaceuticals today. The consequence of irresponsible deforestation may take generations to uncover.
We have reached a stage now where cutting a single tree has become a punishable offense. Had the laws been more stringent at the beginning of deforestation, we could have prevented this Great Turbulence. Deforestation has its root in the human mind. Reversing deforestation and global warming require the efforts of world political leaders and participation of individuals. Addressing the various dimensions of deforestation through the interoperability layers is vital for the health of earth and its life forms.
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August 9th is International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, people who are significantly affected & displaced from their habitat, by deforestation.
Aug 12th is International Youth Day, a group that can best combat deforestation worldwide and work for reforestation.
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