Environmental Studies(ES)

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Lesson 2: Environmental resources

Causes of deforestation

The destruction of the forests is occurring due to various reasons, one of the main reasons being the short term economic benefits. Given below are some more common causes of deforestation:

• Agriculture: Conversion of forests to agricultural land to feed growing numbers of people
  
  
• Commercial logging: (which supplies the world market with woods such as meranti, teak, mahogany and ebony) destroys trees as well as opening up forest for agriculture. Cutting of trees for fire wood and building material, the heavy lopping of foliage for fodder and heavy grazing of saplings by domestic animals like goals.
  

The cash crop economy: Raising cash crops for increased economy. Mining Increase in population: The needs also increase and utilize forests resources. Urbanization & industrialization Mineral exploration Construction of dam reservoirs Infrastructure development Forest fires Human encroachment & exploitation Pollution due to acid rain Environmental effects /Consequences of deforestation