Deforestation

Deforestation

There have been so many discussions on the effects of deforestation in our environment. These effects range from alarming to catastrophic. We have read newspaper headlines that show the wreckage that natural disasters have done. Flashfloods have not only damaged millions of properties all over the globe but it has also collected lives. Landslides have done the same. These two are the results of nature's balance that has been disturbed.
Deforestation is the act of converting patches of forests to become areas of residence or industry. More and more businessmen are pushing through forests to obtain more land. Environment is sacrificed in exchange for profit. And this is a highly disturbing fact. Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

Currently, forests cover approximately one fifth of the world's land. Forests provide us with many products we use in our everyday lives. They also provide for us in other ways such from helping stop soil erosion to providing us with medical drugs, dyes and fabrics. Humanity depends on the survival of a healthy ecosystem and deforestation is causing many social, economic and ecological problems.

3.7% —or about 312,000 hectares—of United Arab Emirates is forested. Of this, none is classified as primary forest, the most biodiversity form of forest.
Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, United Arab Emirates gained an average of 6,500 hectares of forest per year. The amounts to an average annual reforestation rate of 2.65%. Between 2000 and 2005, the rate of forest change decreased by 95.1% to 0.13% per annum. In total, between 1990 and 2005, United Arab Emirates gained 27.4% of its forest cover, or around 67,000 hectares. Measuring the total rate of habitat conversion (defined as change in forest area plus change in woodland area minus net plantation expansion) for the 1990-2005 intervals, United Arab Emirates gained 0.0% of its forest and woodland habitat.
Biodiversity and Protected Areas: United Arab Emirates has some 339 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 0.0% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 5.0% are threatened. 0.0% of United Arab Emirates is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

http://rainforests.mongabay.com/deforestation/archive/United_Arab_Emirates.htm

The main reason for climate change and deforestation is the increasing consumption of fossil fuels and high energy demand. In the rural areas, people resort to cutting trees to meet their energy needs for heating and cooking purposes. The presentation centered on a project implemented by an Iranian community. The execution of this project was a valuable experience to show how we can bring local communities together to cooperate and find solutions to stop, or at least reduce, the negative consequences of these problems. Renewable energy introduced in two villages helped reduce the loss of flora and fauna in the forest areas in Sari forest, in the Yakh- kesh region, near the Caspian Sea. The forest is faced with the threat of deforestation due to the cutting of trees and illegal wood smuggling by people eager to meet their heating and cooking energy needs. This led to the loss of flora and fauna. Among the different types of renewable energy, biogas was the most feasible. Biogas is combustible gas used for cooking in agricultural communities. Composed of methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen supplied, biogas is produced by fermenting animal, plant or human waste in the absence of oxygen — an anaerobic process. Abdul Kader, Binsal.

 (October,3, 2010). The main reason for climate change and deforestation. Gulf News, pp. 13,14.