Lastly, family forests are excellent tools to serve family cohesion. In terms of climate change, cutting trees both adds carbon dioxide to the air and removes the ability to absorb existing carbon dioxide. Low Visibility Can Cause This To Be A Troublesome Task. While unnecessary. New AI may pass the famed Turing test. Large scale destruction of treesdeforestationaffects ecosystems, climate, and even increases risk for zoonotic diseases spreading to humans. Before we explore the benefits of cutting down trees, we want to address a few of the most frequently asked questions regarding tree removal: How does cutting trees affect us and the environment? Any problems we do spot are treated to control their spread and protect other trees. Its all about creating a balance between the give and take that occurs when trees are removed and land is opened up to new possibilities. Managed forests grow wood forever, and we currently grow far more wood than we use. Where trees are removed, animals and insects will either leave or have to adapt, and sometimes communities feel the impact of these shifts. Forest loss is not decreasing. Though deforestation is one popular term, we choose not to use it, as it has a negative connotation and does not adequately represent why we do what we do. Of course, an opinion, but one held worldwide by many. (Which nation could be the first to be rewilded?). Reduce Risk of Falling Tree 2. 5. So, that being said, are there ways to combat the waste of wood products and/or the negative impacts of deforestation? 2022 Click A Tree GmbH. Again,ecosystems in nature are delicate and the loss of one factor can lead to the downfall of others. A positive that can come, mostly when locals are not being directly impacted, is the rise in resources that cut-down trees provide. For consumers, it makes sense to examine the products and meats you buy, looking for sustainably produced sources when you can. That's the woodpile my Dad and I cut/stack for 10+ years to heat up our family home in Upstate, NY. There are numerous examples of animal species that have been brought back from low populations through forest management. 5 reasons why its good to cut down trees, Want to know more? Believe me, I am qu For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, for I A network of access roads on former orangutan habitat that is now a palm oil concession in Indonesia. There are many reasons for felling trees, such as making paper, producing timber, making space for new constructions and so on, but were more interested in the reasons for felling trees when its not for any kind of commercial purposes. Seventh, most species of wildlife, especially vertebrate wildlife, depend upon forests for at least part of their habitat requirements. Its time to get the cosy jumpers out and kick your way through piles of fallen leaves. Which travel companies promote harmful wildlife activities? Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. The above are the extreme cases of when you should remove a tree but of course there can be a huge range of reasons that arent as serious, such as reducing the amount of shade in your garden, creating more space and so on. Wood products are everywhere and that wood needs to come from somewhere. We can get plenty of nutrients from trees alone. One impact that deforestation has is that it degrades the soil in the area. Curators are realizing that returning looted artifacts isnt closing museumsits opening new doors. Some trees will not grow as well as others, so we fell the smaller trees to create space and light for the others to grow better. May you continue to be successful in your tree journey, and remember that we are always here to help! Well, in no particular order, here are 11 reasons that explain how important trees are. You might think that means deforestation is beginning to be a thing of the past. Trees are an essential part of building the things that we use in our daily lives, even those we dont consciously focus on unless were redecorating or relocating. If tropical deforestation were a country, according to the World Resources Institute, it would rank third in carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions, behind China and the U.S. Can Cell Phones Help Save Rain Forests? Trees play a super important role in improving the quality of the soil around them in numerous ways. Once the trees are gone, the work is too. The positive reasons have more to do with human-focused topics like economics, materials, and food. The Effects of Cutting Down Trees on the Ecosystem Sciencing, In terms of climate change, cutting trees both adds carbon dioxide to the air and removes the ability to absorb existing carbon dioxide. Before reading on and learning about the reasons and impacts of deforestation, we should discuss why this is such a hot topic. So yeah, its still going on. Using less paper is becoming easier in this digital age, but it is often still a decision that must be consciously made. Especially communities that are smaller and less modern. Substituting wood for other materials, where possible, is nearly always the more eco-friendly choice. Can you cut trees on your own? The wood from the smaller trees that are thinned is used for things like fence posts, pallets, wood chips and fuel. Well leave the research to you on that one, based on what you buy and where you shop, but its a great concept that you can easily keep an eye out for! 1. Deforestation is not just an environmental issue. In the Amazon, cattle ranching and farmsparticularly soy plantationsare key culprits. A majority of this land has not been replaced by new forest but by pastureland for cattle. Packed with options that allow you to completely customize your website to your needs. But just like us, sometimes trees get ill. Trees growing too close to drains can lead to blockages, as their roots can get in to them. Know how important trees are? In case youre not traveling anywhere, you can plant trees anytime on Click A Tree. Thought we were done expanding? Between August 2012 and July 2013 deforestation increased by 28% compared with the previous year. We need trees for a variety of reasons, not least of which is that they absorb the carbon dioxide we exhale and the heat-trapping greenhouse gases that human activities emit. Alright, thats what we have for you this time. A classic for a reason,reduce the waste you create, reuse what you can, and recycle that which you cannot. Sometimes it can be just as important to cut down a tree than it is to leave it be, but its not always easy to spot the reasons why. WebAnswer (1 of 65): There isnt a need to stop cutting down trees entirely, they have a life cycle and eventually die off and seedling growth becomes mature trees in their place. Unfortunately, threats to forests are only increasing. Although they still cover about 30% of the earths land area, we lose an area roughly equivalent to the size of Panama in forested land every year. The Manoki fight for their traditional land against the deforestation to make way for soya plantations. Check out how plants and trees prevent soil erosion in this video. Would you agree that there are many reasons why trees are awesome? Here are 10 reasons. It was definitely work, so I wasnt always eager as a young boy to help my father and big brother, but I learned to love the process Tree removal is a topic of debate for many people. More and more forest is being parcelized, contributing to millions of forest acres that are far more difficult to manage than larger tracts. On the opposite note of the last section, an area where trees are cut down to allow for open space will still end up providing a ton of lumber that will be used in one way or another. https://treejourney.com/reasons-why-people-cut-down-trees-deforestation-guide Deforestations effects reach far beyond the people and animals where trees are cut. We all use things made from wood every day. Whether it is a business trip or your annual vacation: For every booking which begins on bedandtree.com, we plant one tree for free! If youre interested in learning even more about this process, check out our piece onHow Many Trees Are Cut Down to Make One Piece of Paper. Up to80% of terrestrial biodiversityi.e. All the way from rainforest care to tree planting. In most cases, this means looking, Read More 6 Best Fruit Trees That Have Shallow Roots: Identification GuideContinue, The maple tree. Removing a tree is sometimes necessary for safety. Forestry practices, wildfires and, in small part, urbanization account for the rest. Areas that have been deforested are much more vulnerable to desertification. 4. The vast majority of our forest has been highly altered by past practices, mostly historic and some more recently. Heres How To TellContinue, You may have heard of whirlybirds, or maybe whirlygigs. Web10. Manoki (Irantxe) indians in the State of Mato Grosso. The world has established a natural rhythm when it comes to the water cycle. MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer, committed to achieving excellence through a diverse workforce and inclusive culture that encourages all people to reach their full potential. Careful removal of certain trees promotes diversity and can be the best way to, Trees can suffer many untreatable infestations and diseases. It's an everything issue. Opening-up a stand in a way that encourages desired species is important to obtain the kinds of forest we want to see. While we see that deforestation is not likely to go away anytime soon and can have good outcomes, its worth discussing the ways that we can each help to mitigate some of the bad that does stem from this practice. However, in heavily forested areas it can be as low as 0.05%. Making sure that those fallen trees dont go to waste is another huge aspect of sustainability. Deforestation without the consent of local forest communities exacerbates social conflict and violence. Branches can also cause physical damage to roofs and guttering, so its important to prune any that may be growing too close. 10 minutes ago you mightve felt stressed out, worrying about work and your responsibilities but as soon as you enter the forest, its like entering a different world. 1998 Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Forests are home to 200 million people. As part of their carbon filtering properties, they remove carbon and other noxious substances from the soil, allowing other plants to flourish. Many trees are cut down for materials of whatever kind. While it could be argued that deforestation also creates jobs, this work is not sustainable in the long term. While some people believe the best use Often, deforestation occurs in remote lawless areas and is accompanied by human rights violations. The information was not what I was looking for. Snakes, frogs, millipedes, ants, termites, spiders, beetles, moths all of them depend on the safety of their forest home. Deforestation is something that is typically perceived as negative, because of the impacts that it has environmentally. Most paper is made from wood pulp, through a simple process that began in China thousands of years ago. (Which tree planting projects should you support?). Safe and proper tree removal is imperative for both your own safety and the safety of those around you. This is because people need to build stores houses and other buildings. Fourth, cutting trees encourages regeneration and future forests. They act as key guards against soil erosion, for instance, a fact made tragically clear by landslides like the one in Washington state last March, which many have arguedwereat least hastened by clear cutting. Careless tree removal and large-scale deforestation does adversely affect the environment and, indirectly, us. Sometimes it can be just as important to cut down a tree than it is to leave it be, but its not always easy to spot the reasons why. Deforestation is a common practice all over the world and is directly related to the need we have for wood-based resources. Need of Space for Building 3. What is it called when trees are cut down? If that feels confusing, try to stick with us while we spell it out a bit. All woodlands are important for wildlife, but its not just about trees. As you can probably gather from the effects listed above,deforestation is a complex topic that can be beneficial when done correctly but harmful when done without the intention to rebuild deforested areas. This means managing forest acres that remain available to management will become increasingly important. I grew up on 50+ acres of pastures, woodlands, and a freshwater bass pond surrounded by apple orchards where I worked back in the day. A negative that follows, even if the land is repurposed, is that deforestation destroys the natural environment that once stood in place of this newly barren landscape. For one, the disease can spread to other plants and trees in your garden and it can also attract pests, such as insect infestations and rats that can later get in to your home. And lastly, trees improve soil quality by pulling nutrients from deep under the ground up to the surface via the powerful action of their roots. Perhaps, they will use the space for animals to graze while they are raised for food, milk, or simply used to help with the land. We should not cut down trees because trees makes oxygen that helps us humans breathe and trees are important to animals as many animals food resources come from trees and it is animals habitats to and we can use the trees resources to grow the economy as trees create food items like vegetables and fruits like an apple trees so these are the reasons we should NOT cut trees even though they have wood it doesn't mean the tree only has wood it also has healing plants in it that help humans heal In deforested areas, there is nothing to keep the soil in place or slow the speed of incoming winds or monsoons. For now, well just tell you that most paper is made from softwood trees and, after going through the process of turning that wood into pulp by way of chemicals or mechanics, you can get paper in no time. One of the reasons I was able to keep the debt down this time around theyre the Fortune 500 companies, theyre good companies. And why they matter so much both for our planet and for us humans, too no matter where on Earth you live. Forests play a key role in the hydrological cycle by intercepting and regulating rainfall and flooding. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I'm Zack DeAngelis, the creator of Tree Journey. It is important to be aware that, though trees can be replanted and areas can be turned into agricultural ones as opposed to their original ecosystems, there is harm that comes from deforestation. Then lets save our trees! 10) Saving the Trees is indirectly saving the human from calamities. People also cut down trees to clear land for agricultural use. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. We are proud that almost one fifth of our landscapes are types of open spaces managed primarily for wildlife. Even where forests are protected on paper, they arent protected in reality. This means the wood comes from well-managed forests, like ours. Thirdly last but not least: Plant more trees! Clearing large swathes of trees with no intention of replanting is harmful to the environment. Over the past few years, weve gained significant ground in getting major companies to move toward forest-friendly business models. You dont need to be a scientist to notice the difference in the way you feel when walking through a forest. Maybe, the reason for cutting trees down is to make space for more people that are looking for a new place to live. Instead of waiting for nature to take its course, work with a local tree service team for safe removal. This is a good thing. It stores the carbon as wood and releases oxygen molecules. If you've got a question about trees, we've got the answer. 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