Deforestation – The chopping down and removal of trees to clear an area of forest

To remember the meaning of the term Deforestation, use the following mnemonic:

The forest station (deforestation) took all the chopped down trees and cleared the logs away.

Deforestation is particularly problematic in tropical rainforests because these areas are extremely biodiverse (have a huge number of different species that depend on their habitat remaining stable).

Deforestation has many causes. Trees may be cut down for use in construction or to be burnt as solid fuel; or they may be cleared so that the land can be used as livestock pasture or for planting. Other causes include population growth (building of homes and facilities) and an increase in forest fires due to climate change.

The loss of large numbers of trees without sufficient reforestation (replanting) has resulted in habitat damage, biodiversity loss, and aridity (drying out of the land).