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Introduction
Human beings have understood how to use various natural resources for economic growth and development. Natural resources play a significant role in promoting the welfare of many communities and countries. Throughout the Early Modern Period (1453-1789), many countries in Europe were engaged in numerous activities aimed at strengthening their respective economies (King, 2008).
This period took place from the year 1453 to 1789. During this period, natural resources were used to support most of these economic activities. From the 15th century, global society has used different resources to pursue a wide range of economic activities and goals (Chakravarty, Ghosh, Suresh, Dey, & Shukla, 2012). Today, how some natural resources are exploited is something that has led to numerous challenges. The current rate of global population explosion continues to impact natural resources such as forests negatively. This practice has led to the depletion of various resources and natural resources.
This research paper will explore several issues such as the historical destruction of forests in different parts of the world. The study will also analyze the effects of deforestation on different regions across the globe. Although some societies have managed to achieve their economic potentials, the rate at which natural forests have been exploited is a major challenge that must be reexamined from an ethical perspective. This calls for new strategies to safeguard the integrity of every surviving forest in the world today.
Over-Exploitation of Forests
Historical Background: 15th to 19th Century
The history of colonialism gives a comprehensive image of deforestation in different parts of the world. Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, many European powers were engaged in different voyages across the globe (Lemon, 2012). Such missions were undertaken in an attempt to get raw materials for their respective industries. During this period, ships were widely used for transportation. The number of ships in different seas grew significantly throughout this period.
However, historians have argued that most of the ships used during this time encountered numerous challenges. The demand for better, superior, and long-lasting ships was on the rise (Killingray, Lincoln, & Rigby, 2014). Most of the ships could not return home. One of the best approaches to dealing with this challenge was to manufacture superior ships. With this goal in mind, the European powers were forced to look for wood supplies from different parts of the globe.
The countries wanted to increase their economic strengths and military powers during the Early Modern Period (1450-1789). Many European nations began to control global trade routes and timber supplies (Killingray et al., 2014). Different continents such as Africa and South America were targeted by most of these European powers. These powers wanted to obtain wood for their ship industries. The move would ensure such countries controlled more colonies and regions across the globe. For instance, Britain managed to control wood supplies from Jamaica to India. The forests in Jamaica were targeted because they were characterized by giant pine trees.
These woods were logged and shipped back to the United Kingdom (Chakravarty et al., 2012). Consequently, many countries such as Britain, Italy, and France continued to over-exploit more forests in different parts of the world. With the increasing level of competition and rivalry, most of the countries focused on the best approaches to strengthen their naval fleets. The above goal forced such nations to look for wood from different regions.
The increasing waves of militarism and nationalism encouraged more countries to expand their naval powers (Killingray et al., 2014). This fact explains why more wood supplies were needed than ever before. Wood was the main resource used to manufacture superior ships and weapons. The demand for these products required an increased consumption of wood. Incidentally, the supplies of wood in the continent had diminished significantly. It was the right time to look for wood from different corners of the globe. A medium-sized single ship required around 2,000 mature oak trees (King, 2008). This fact explains why the consumption of wood in the industry was a major issue that could lead to over-exploitation.
The challenge of shipworms affected the strength and efficiency of many ships during the period. These mollusks were identified as one of the major threats affecting different ships (Lemon, 2012). This knowledge forced more countries to obtain durable wood from other parts of the world. King (2008) argues that the best solution towards dealing with the shipworm problem was the Tectona grandis (teak tree). Studies indicated clearly that such trees were resistant to shipworms, insects, and fungi (King, 2008). The British Navy decided to get new wood from India. The decision led to increased deforestation in India.
The other important observation is that many countries such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were involved in shipbuilding practices. Throughout the 18th century, the Arabian Gulf was used mainly for trade activities. The Chinese were also known to build superior ships for various expeditions (Fearnside & Figueiredo, 2015). Such initiatives played a critical role in undermining the integrity of the natural environment (Chakravarty et al., 2012).
The European powers used their strengths and economic muscles to colonize different regions throughout the period. The major European powers engaged in continuous deforestation in an attempt to pursue their objectives. For example, deforestation was undertaken to create new farms and grazing lands (Lemon, 2012). The Europeans destroyed many forests for agricultural purposes. The Americans also promoted the idea in an attempt to create urban centers and public places (King, 2008). Many people believed that the existing dense forests were scary because they were inhabited by wild animals. Such animals viewed human beings as potential sources of food. That being the case, many forests were cleared at an unprecedented rate.
Deforestation was embraced as a powerful approach towards promoting human progress. According to many colonial powers, forests did not appear to have any significant value to individuals who wanted to engage in farming. This fact shows clearly that agriculture was embraced as a positive practice towards supporting human civilization (Lemon, 2012). Mining activities were also found to result in continued deforestation in North America and other parts of the world.
The fight for survival continued as more forests continued to be lost. However, many environmentalists and scholars did not view deforestation as a major challenge. On the contrary, many people focused on the issue of development and human civilization (Lemon, 2012). The ultimate goal was to ensure more people were able to lead better lives. Rural dwellings were characterized by agrarian landscapes. The landscapes of many regions characterized by dense forests changed significantly towards the end of the 19th century.
From the 20th Century: Future Predictions
The 20th century transformed how the wood was used by mankind. The demand for different goods such as beds and chairs increased significantly from 1900. The global population required new food supplies. That being the case, human beings needed to destroy more forests to engage in different agricultural activities. New improvements in healthcare reduced the number of deaths caused by different diseases. Consequently, the number of people demanding food supplies and natural resources continued to increase (Yao et al., 2014). This development forced more people to destroy their surrounding environments to sustain themselves.
Throughout the 20th century, forests were destroyed quickly. Incidentally, the rate of reforestation was extremely low thereby threatening the survival of future human generations. Throughout the century, forests were destroyed through continued logging and clearance for construction purposes (Lemon, 2012). The rate of deforestation decreased because more people wanted land for food production (Yao et al., 2014). Agricultural practices such as livestock grazing forced many communities to clear forests and natural habitats. The economic growth experienced in Europe forced many companies to obtain raw materials from other regions. Consequently, many forests in different corners of the globe were obliterated.
Human beings continued to demand more products obtained from wood. For example, the increasing human population coincided with the demand for wood for fuel and timber for construction. These demands shaped the relationships between humans and their surrounding environments (Chakravarty et al., 2012). Many societies began to consume more water than ever before. This development affected the integrity of many environments. Such issues led to new climatic changes and eventually resulted in droughts. These changes continue to affect the integrity of many natural environments and forests today.
The modern world continues to use wood to construct houses, manufacture paper, and produce medicine. Wood is used in the developing world as one of the major sources of fuel. Studies have indicated that over three billion human beings across the globe use wood for cooking (Fearnside & Figueiredo, 2015). This fact explains why more forests have been destroyed within the past five decades. At the same time, such people require land to produce their food supplies. This issue has affected the sustainability of many forests. The continued demand for wood products is something that is putting much pressure on different forests (Zhou, 2013). The demand for timber has increased more than ever before. This is the current situation even though more forests have been destroyed by man.
Effects of Deforestation on Different Regions
The effects of over-exploitation and deforestation cannot be underestimated. To begin with, overexploitation of various natural resources such as forests has affected the integrity of the environment. The malpractice has also been associated with pollution. The current “level of pollution has led to the depletion of the ozone layer” (Chakravarty et al., 2012, p. 9). This situation explains why numerous changes have been recorded in different parts of the world. For example, the Antarctic region has been characterized by drastic climatic changes. These changes have affected the survival of polar bears and other indigenous species.
Fearnside and Figueiredo (2015) argue that deforestation destroys biodiversity. The tropics have been affected the most by continued deforestation. Some of the destroyed natural habitats and biodiversity takes many centuries to recreate (Zhou, 2013). Some plant species have become extinct because of overexploitation and overuse of natural resources (Chakravarty et al., 2012). Environmentalists have indicated that deforestation is malpractice capable of provoking irreversible destruction of natural habitats. The process of reforestation has failed to record positive results within the past century (Zhou, 2013).
Deforestation has been associated with the depletion of soil minerals and nutrients. This has been the case because the malpractice is associated with soil erosion. Continued erosion decreases the number of soil nutrients. In the tropics, deforestation is associated with desertification and loss of natural habitats (Chakravarty et al., 2012). The absence of proper policies in different countries is a major challenge that affects many communities.
Overexploitation of forests has led to the impoverishment of citizen’s living standards. This is true because the overutilization of natural resources and forests makes it impossible for more individuals to pursue various economic goals. For example, Ethiopian citizens have been observed to destroy over 98 percent of their forests (Chakravarty et al., 2012). These forests have been destroyed in an attempt to satisfy various human needs. The outstanding fact is that the government has failed to undertake new measures to address the problem of deforestation.
The case of Amazon gives a clear image of the negative impacts of deforestation (Fearnside & Figueiredo, 2015). Many species have been lost due to deforestation. The majority of people living around forests have been cutting trees for personal use. This malpractice has affected the forest’s biodiversity. China has recorded similar results due to the increased level of deforestation. Rapid growth in the country’s population has led to the overutilization of various natural resources.
This issue has led to numerous environmental problems in different provinces across China (Yao et al., 2014). Soil erosion has remained a major challenge in this county. The demand for heating and cooking products also explains why deforestation has remained a problem in this country. The basins of the Mekong River and Yellow River have been prone to soil erosion (Yao et al., 2014). The reforestation efforts undertaken by the Chinese government have failed to yield positive results.
The economy of every society is supported by forest products. Experts have supported the concept of sustainability in an attempt to safeguard many forests. Such forests will eventually support the needs of many citizens (Fearnside & Figueiredo, 2015). Any attempt to destroy a natural forest makes it impossible for more people to acquire different products. The destruction of forests and natural ecosystems will eventually affect the lives of more people.
Deforestation has been observed, “to lower the water table” (Yao et al., 2014, p. 2549). This is true because of the rate of water run-off increases. This development is associated with prolonged droughts. Such developments make it impossible for more people to have quality lifestyles. The continued overutilization of natural resources remains a major challenge that affects many societies.
Many scholars argue that the current rate of human overexploitation of natural resources will result in numerous environmental disasters (Fearnside & Figueiredo, 2015). Such disasters will affect more societies than ever before. The destruction of ecosystems is something that will eventually have far-reaching consequences. Environmentalists strongly believe that malpractice will result in the death or extinction of different species. The destruction of different civilizations such as the Maya, Aztecs, and Inca describe how human actions can dictate the future of every society.
Ethical Considerations
Ethical theories and arguments can be used to dictate the future of different forests. Utilitarianism is a theoretical perspective that focuses on the best actions and decisions capable of maximizing happiness for the greatest number of people (Lemon, 2012). Some analysts and skeptics have argued that the global climate has been changing over the past million years. However, scientific researchers have proven that the global climate is currently changing due to various human activities. The increasing demand for various products such as wood explains why more people have been destroying their forests.
Governments have been using different policy measures and initiatives to protect the remaining habitats and natural forests (King, 2008). The best ethical approach is to protect such forests and minimize the level of deforestation. Communities should be supported to strike a balance between the conservation and use of their forests (Fearnside & Figueiredo, 2015).
Conclusion
Deforestation has remained a major challenge since mankind has been using wood for a wide range of economic activities. Destruction of natural habitats has increased due to population growth. Natural resources have been exploited for many years. This situation explains why governments should implement powerful policies to protect every natural habitat. This approach is necessary because many countries such as China and Ethiopia do not have enough sustainable natural habitats.
The use of sustainable and effective conservation measures will, therefore, play a positive role in supporting the welfare of many populations (Fearnside & Figueiredo, 2015). This approach will also address the negative effects of deforestation. Future generations will eventually benefit from most of the conserved natural habitats and forests.
References
Chakravarty, S., Ghosh, S., Suresh, C., Dey, A., & Shukla, G. (2012). Deforestation: causes, effects and control strategies. Global Perspectives on Sustainable Forest Management, 1(1), 1-28.
Fearnside, P., & Figueiredo, A. (2015). China’s influence on deforestation in Brazilian Amazonia: a growing force in the State of Mato Grosso. Global Economic Governance Initiative, 1(1), 1-51.
Killingray, D., Lincoln, M., & Rigby, N. (2014). Maritime empires: British imperial maritime trade in the nineteenth century. New York, NY: Boydell Press.
King, G. (2008). The development of free trade in Europe. Free Market Forum, 1(1), 1-19.
Lemon, J. (2012). Colonial America in the eighteenth century. Web.
Yao, Y., Liang, S., Cheng, J., Lin, Y., Jia, K., & Liu, M. (2014). Impacts of deforestation and climate variability on terrestrial evapo-transpiration in Subarctic China. Forests, 5(1), 2542-2560.
Zhou, J. (2013). China’s rise and environmental degradation: the way out. International Journal of China Studies, 4(1), 17-39.
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