Deforestation
Forests provide economic services that provide timber, fuel wood, paper and extracted reserves and ecological
services such as watershed storage, flood abatement, water filtration, and storage, carbon sequestration,
oxygen production and wildlife habitat. Yet, despite the fact that forests are a critical resource for humanity, our
proclivity for deforestation is devastating a vital habitat for endangered species such as the regional Sumatran
Rhino and Orangutan. Deforestation is responsible for releasing megatons of CO2 into the atmosphere through
slash and burn for livestock grazing and plantation agricultural practices. Deforestation removes an important
source of water filtration; it reduces biodiversity in fragile ecosystems, and eliminates storage for carbon. We
have developed many solutions to help curb the demand for timber, grazing and crop land, but societies must
be willing to learn these alternatives, protect core primary forests that remain, and use existing forests in a
sustainable manner.
services such as watershed storage, flood abatement, water filtration, and storage, carbon sequestration,
oxygen production and wildlife habitat. Yet, despite the fact that forests are a critical resource for humanity, our
proclivity for deforestation is devastating a vital habitat for endangered species such as the regional Sumatran
Rhino and Orangutan. Deforestation is responsible for releasing megatons of CO2 into the atmosphere through
slash and burn for livestock grazing and plantation agricultural practices. Deforestation removes an important
source of water filtration; it reduces biodiversity in fragile ecosystems, and eliminates storage for carbon. We
have developed many solutions to help curb the demand for timber, grazing and crop land, but societies must
be willing to learn these alternatives, protect core primary forests that remain, and use existing forests in a
sustainable manner.