Deforestation

January 2024 – Deforestation is the permanent removal of trees from forests. It is caused by both natural and man-made activities. Natural activities include wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, invasive species, and tree disease. Man-made activities include logging, agriculture, livestock farming, and urbanization. Effects of deforestation include biodiversity loss, soil degradation, and air pollution. Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), also called sustainable forestry, is the sustainable use and conservation of forests with the aim of maintaining a balance between ecological, economic, and social factors. SFM ensures that forests provide products that meet demand and support the sustainable growth of communities. In 2021, during the Conference of the Parties (COP26), the Glasgow leaders declaration on forests and land use was established to halt forest loss and land degradation by the year 2030.

In this slideshow, you will learn about the definition, causes, effects, mitigation and management, UN policy, and global statistics of deforestation.