Deforestation Essay: Deforestation refers to cutting down trees and clearing off forested land to make way for human settlement, agriculture or industrialization. Deforestation has detrimental impacts on flora and fauna as well as human beings. Forests are an essential part of mother nature and regulate the oxygen level in the air. Oxygen is vital for human beings to survive. Trees provide shelter to a wide range of animals- some of which may be rendered extinct or endangered due to habitat loss due to deforestation. When forests are destroyed, they also result in the imbalance of water level below the soil. In 2019, the planet’s largest forest- the Amazon, burnt down to shreds due to unfortunate forest fires. The Amazon forest is known as “the lungs of the planet” and let out more than 20% of purified oxygen in the atmosphere. This resulted in a huge loss of biodiversity and destroyed acres of green land.
Below we have provided Deforestation Essay in English, written in easy and simple words for class 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 school students.
Essay on Deforestation in 500 Words
Deforestation refers to cutting down of trees or burning forested area to clear the space for agricultural activities, cattle ranching, construction of buildings for human settlement or for industrial work. In recent years, however, activists and environmentalists have been stressing on the importance of protecting green lands and forests. Common citizens, too, have took to the streets to ensure that green zones near them are not encroached upon by government officials.
In the past, too, common people have come together to ward off any threats to their forests. One can recall the efforts of several villagers in Bishnoi, Rajasthan who embraced trees in their locality to prevent the king from cutting them. In the 1970’s, several men and women took part in the famous “Chipko Movement” to protect the forests. The Bishnoi tribal community hugged the trees in a bid to safeguard their only source of income and livelihood.
Trees provided them with fresh air, fertile soil and timely rains. The forest also provided them shelter, since the Bishnois are one of India’s tribal communities who took refuge in forests. The Chipko Movement in Rajasthan inspired many other tree-hugging movements in different parts of India. This implies that when environment-conscious citizens put their minds to preserving forests, nothing can stop them from achieving their goal.
One of the most effective ways to educate citizens about the importance of forest is to include subjects such as Environmental Studies in students’ curriculum. Students must realize the detrimental effects that deforestation carries not only on Mother Nature but also on humans. Much like the tribal community of Bishnoi, human beings are dependent on forests for a multiplicity of reasons.
Forests are essential for the survival of human beings since they take in carbon dioxide and let out clean oxygen in return. Forests also play a vital role in the water cycle. Trees regulate the level of humidity in the air and affect rainfall patterns. In India, most farmers rely on rains to irrigate their fields. Additionally, forests also serve as habitats for many exotic and endangered species.
International conventions require countries to protect the habitats of such animals and declare such forests as protected lands. Usually, such international conventions work wonders to save forests. However, more engagement is required from local governments and the common public for saving trees. In India, especially, local governments can encourage the celebration of Vana Mahotsav or tree plantation day.
Schools, colleges, universities, educational centres and other private enterprises must carry out plantation drives at least twice a year. These saplings must be tended to carefully and watered regularly. Apart from recognizing certain areas as biodiversity hotspots or protected areas, the government must also levy strict fines against people who fell trees or harm forested areas.
The government must also ensure that no development project or construction models be planned in and around forested areas. Local governments must also vouch to carry out reforestation or afforestation programmes in deforested areas. Community engagement is required for citizens to be able to pursue sustainable livelihoods and to become environmentally-conscious citizens.
Short Essay on Deforestation
Below we have provided a short essay on deforestation, suitable for class 3, 4, 5 and 6 students.
Over the past few decades, due to rapid industrialization and population growth, forested lands have been cleared up to set up industries, factories and space for human settlement. This process is referred to as deforestation. Trees are vital for the survival of many species of flora and fauna. For example, pandas require bamboo trees to survive. This is exactly why some forests are called biodiversity hotspots or protected areas. These protected areas help biodiversity to flourish and species of flora and fauna to exist, reproduce and multiply.
When deforestation occurs, it snatches away the natural habitats of a plethora of plants and animals. Consequently, this disrupts the ecological balance and affects the working of the food chain and food web. Additionally, sometimes forested land is burnt down to make way for agricultural land or pastures for grazing. When intensive agriculture is performed on burnt land repeatedly, the fertility of the soil diminishes and on certain occasions, burning a patch of land has also caused the spread of wildfires.
Moreover, when land is cleared to grow pastures and feed cows, the soil suffers extreme damage. Cows pluck out the grass from the roots and cause the topmost, fertile layer of the soil to erode. Gradually, the quality of the soil decreases and farmers and cattle ranchers move to new lands in search of pastures, leading to deforestation of greener areas. However, in recent years, greener lands and forested areas have been encroached by private companies and industries to build factories upon.
In 2019, in Mumbai, the government planned to carry out deforestation in Aarey Milk Colony to pave the path for a metro line. Aarey Milk Colony is a biodiversity hotspot and is located near Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Aarey colony has also been touted as the “lungs of Mumbai”. Several people, including environmentalists and nature activists, took to the streets to protest against this unsustainable decision.
Cutting down the trees in Aarey Milk colony would deplete the supply of pure oxygenated air in Mumbai- a city where air pollution is one of the biggest environmental concerns. Not only this, animals residing in the nearby Sanjay Gandhi National Park would suffer a loss of habitat and would wander into human surroundings. Due to the efforts of several people, the decision was reversed by a court and officials were asked to stay put. One must always strive to protect mother nature and establish a sustainable world.
Leave a Reply