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DEFORESTATION
Deforestation is the opposite of
reforestation. Deforestation means the long-term loss
of forest cover.
3 ways forests are destroyed:
- Natural disturbances
- Harvesting
- Deforestation
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Natural disturbances - Forests
have evolved so that they are capable of renewing themselves
as part of their normal cycle of growth. Without aid,
forests recover from total destruction from fire, volcanoes,
floods, landslides and ice ages. Because it is natural
for forests to be occasionally destroyed, ecologists call
it "disturbance" rather than "destruction."
Harvesting - Harvesting or
logging a forest is not as severe as that caused by
a hot wildfire or a volcanic eruption. Forests can usually
recover quickly from logging whereas more severe disturbance
can result in slower recovery.
Deforestation occurs when
the forest is prevented from growing back by the actions
of people and their domestic animals. This process is
also known as "conversion" because it usually
involves the conversion of the land from a forest to
another use such as agriculture, towns and cities, and
industry. Once the land has been converted, it must
be maintained by people or it will once again grow back
into a forest. For example, even where the land has
been completely paved over, such as a parking lot, will
gradually recover to a forest if the parking lot is
abandoned.
Domestic grazing animals are one of the main causes
of deforestation in many parts of the world. If too
many sheep, goats, or cattle are put on the land, they
can prevent trees from growing back. This has occurred
in areas such as Scotland, northern Africa, and many
parts of Asia.
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