Deforestation is the removal of trees and the surrounding ecosystems which make up forests.
Deforestation is a particular problem in tropical forests, which are disappearing rapidly due to human influence. The forest landscape is cleared for farms and pastures, for the harvesting of timber for construction and fuel, and for roads, housing and commercial use.
Deforestation has profound and often devastating consequences - most obviously on loss of biodiversity, loss of carbon sinks, increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, interruption of water cycles and destroying water quality. It may also cause social conflict, loss of livelihoods, and loss of food sources from forests and rivers. NASA conducts research on tropical forests using space-based and ground-based observations.
Possible solutions[edit | edit source]
Here are some possible solutions to this environmental issue:
See also[edit | edit source]
