Trees collapse as chainsaws slices into their wood, their verdant leaves grasping onto the branches as their wood crashes into the soil, leaving clouds of dusty dirt floating into the sky. Animals rapidly flee from their habitats. Obviously, this situation isn't ideal. However, deforestation is a growing threat due to ecosystem services such as provisioning (the extraction of resources such as wood) and is a huge topic occupying many news stations. Why is this so detrimental to the earth's climate? How does it affect the health and well-being of our planet?
Actions such as clearcutting initiate a chain reaction. When trees decrease, many species lose their habitats, decreasing biodiversity (the different about of species in a location). Unfortunately, the higher the biodiversity, the higher the ecosystem's population and overall health. Protecting forests protects the richness of ecosystems, which is to the total of different species. This protects the health of the ecosystem by assisting with more organisms, which leads to more quality resources.
Moreover, trees store greenhouse gases such as carbon. This carbon sequestration process prevents larger issues such as climate change from taking a toll on organisms. More greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere result in the Earth becoming warmer, leading to more significant issues.
So, how can you take action?
Websites such as Ecosia allow you to not only buy trees but also plant trees for free when using the website as a search engine. Moreover, an option is to look at different charities that combat deforestation. Always make sure you are giving your money to reliable places. Lastly, get involved. Join local environmental organizations, sign petitions, and make a change in your community.