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The loss of forests is a threat to many ecosystems around the world. Without trees, all living things are adversely affected.
In many parts of the world, particularly Europe and the Middle East, the forest has virtually disappeared. Forests are threatened worldwide as people cut down trees to develop areas for farming or make room for cities. Trees are also harvested to build homes and furniture. In many countries, wood is still used as fuel for cooking and heating. The process whereby trees are cut down without being replaced is called deforestation.
The world's rainforests are currently threatened. Large areas of the rainforest are cut down to provide timber, or areas are cleared for animal grazing. The soil in the rainforest is at risk once trees are cut down. The soil of tropical forests is usually quite poor because nutrients are taken up by plants so quickly and efficiently that they never reach the soil. If trees are cut down, this vital source of nutrients is eliminated, and all that is left is a thin layer of soil in which plants cannot grow.
Without plants to cover it, the soil is eroded by wind and water, and can turn to desert in only a few years.
Many people living in the South rely on trees for their daily activities. Trees are often the sole source of fuel for cooking and heating. Animals live on fodder from trees. As trees disappear and are not replaced, community members have to travel longer distances to find fuel. If new trees are not planted, the soil is exposed to the heat of the sun. With no roots to trap water, the rain washes away the topsoil and the earth beneath becomes a hard crust, unable to sustain crops or plants.
In many Southern countries, rural communities are addressing the problem of deforestation by planting new trees. Many communities, like Rao Peul in Africa (see case study in the Video section), have established nurseries to grow trees for their community. Trees selected for these projects are often fast-growing. Some are native to the area, and others are introduced from other countries.
Where trees are used for animal grazing, communities have learned how to cut branches off trees without damaging or killing them. In this way, people have food for their animals, and the trees continue to grow. They are using the forest in a sustainable way, meaning that future generations will also have access to the forest.
Africa's Forests
Half a billion hectares of land in Africa are somewhat to seriously degraded. African forests are the most depleted of all the tropical forests, with only 30 percent of the virgin forest remaining. The savannas of Africa are the richest grasslands in the world and sustain many indigenous plants, animals and large mammal life.
West Africa has both tropical moist and tropical dry forests. About 25 percent of the land in Togo and 30 percent of Senegal is classified as forests and woodlands.
Canada's Forests
Almost half of Canada is covered by forested land, about 10 percent of the world's supply of forests. Canada has a number of different kinds of forests, from the temperate rainforest of the west coast to the delicate tundra of the North.
Each year, we lose millions of hectares of forests to logging in wilderness areas and development on urban lands. This means that habitat for wildlife is lost, and in the case of wilderness areas, that the quality of the remaining forest may suffer. This is because many species of trees, just like animals, need a certain amount of space to spread their seeds and grow.
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