Category: Deforestation

Deforestation has always happened, humans have cut trees down to build houses, or grow crops, however the relatively recent industrialisation of our society has led to mass deforestation all over the world, including important ecological sites and habitats. Companies clear large areas for many reasons including crops like rice, and for keeping cattle.

However is deforestation a bad thing? Many would argue that we need deforestation to happen, however unfortunate it may be. With a growing population, we are running out of land to grow crops and keep livestock. Deforestation also creates jobs and opportunities for people. Many of the products we need are provided by the forests being cut down. In many poorer countries, where rainforests and such are situated, mass deforestation can help their economy by providing tax, income and trade. This can mean there is a better quality of life in siad countries. It can also prevent overcrowding, which can help slow the spread of diseases and keep places cleaner.

But, of course, deforestation causes dramatic effects on those who share our planet. The animals that live in the forests are being killed, their homes taken from them. What gives humans the right to do this, to use what they need for our own selfish purposes? Not only this, other humans live in rainforests and have their own communities and we must respect their culture and traditions. One of the most incredible things in our world is the cultural diversity, as well as the biodiversity which deforestation threatens to destroy.

As well as this deforestation isn’t sustainable, unless more trees are planted, but often they still won’t grow as big by the time the resource runs out. At the current rate of deforestation in the amazon rainforest, it could be gone by the year 2060. For example in palm oil production, without fertilizer, which many farmers don’t have, the space for the crops can only be used once, so even more must be cut down. This kind of relentless deforestation must stop.

There are so many more of these places of ecological development and much of it hasn’t been discovered. Perhaps medicines and materials could be found that could save lives, by destroying this environment, we risk destroying key scientific development and research. As well as this, trees provide stability to the soil, without which could cause flooding and erosion.

Trees are crucial to humans, as they take in the carbon dioxide we produce. Due to the industrialization of society, there is an excess of carbon dioxide which is causing detrimental climate change. We should be planting more trees to increase the intake of carbon dioxide, rather than the other way round.

Trees provide so much for us medicines, the reduction of carbon dioxide, habitats. But we have decided to take them away for our own man made uses at alarming rates. More protection needs to be put in for our trees, particularly in rainforests.

As you look around you, you can see that Mother nature has changed dramatically for the past few decades. There are a lot of buildings and infrastructures anywhere, surrounded by populated cities and an overcrowded community. This only entails that our planet is scarring and needs time to heal. But how will it be possible if all countries want to attain global stardom? The most affected area is our forests. With the world growing at a fast pace that is hard to match, the increasing need for space of land is turning out to be a major concern for all people. Urban requirements such as space, and agricultural infrastructures are being built to accommodate the growing population and economy of the country. Over the past decades, “30percent of the forests have been completely cut down” to ensure that people in a country will have enough space for the development of the cities. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, “an estimated 18 acres of forest are lost each year”. This phenomenon is called deforestation. It is defined as “the cutting down of the trees to a large extent be it forests, any barren land or trees we see on our way to school every day”. Our nature has been cut down for the purpose of “land cultivation, housing development, mining, logging, and construction of dams, roads and highways”. This continuous process where forests don’t have time to heal. And we must let them heal or else… .The future won’t be brighter.

Do you know that “forests cover 30% of our land”? What will happen to Earth if it continues to be like this pace? Also, it is estimated that “within 100 years, there will be no rainforests”. And the main source of this heinous crime is agriculture! According to the FAO, “agriculture leads to around 80% of deforestation”. That is 80 percent. As the country grows its population, the demand for food has been tremendous. A huge amount of trees is needed to fuel the growing of crops. Because of this, loggers cut down trees and use them for food and structural purposes. Another reason is livestock ranching. Fourteen percent of the trees are being cut because of livestock ranching. Farmers and ranchers often clear the land by cutting down trees and burning them to raise the animals in the farm and feed it to them. They continue to use the land until the soil is completely degraded and unhealthy and repeat the same process again.Lastly, illegal logging is another reason for deforestation. The illegal loggers cut down trees because it is easy money for them. Also, these companies are being protected by influential people in the government. The same as livestock ranching, after cutting down the trees in those areas they will leave them unattended and unplanted. These three magnanimous reasons affect the healing prowess of our nature.

In reality, we are behind for the continuous cutting down of trees without replanting them. Human beings have the tendency to only move and make solutions when the problems arising can directly affect them. And it is really affecting us now. The changing climate patterns, where in rainy months there would be no rain and in hot seasons there would be typhoons. The rising water level in the cities and along the coastal regions of the country. Also, the constant soil erosion in near-by mountains has greatly affected the livelihood of many people. So when can we start helping? How can we solve this tremendous problem?

It should always start with us. Self-discipline is the key. With the help of the government, we can still minimize the negative effects of deforestation. The best solution to deforestation is to stop the cutting down of trees by enforcing a series of rules and laws to be governed by not only the people but the whole country as well. The laws should not be concentrated with the poor people only. It also should be covered with rich families. The government must enforce strict laws that enable them to control private mining companies, illegal loggers and companies that only think about getting money from cutting down trees. Also, the government should apply a severe punishment to those people or groups of people that will be prisoned because of these crimes. Another way is to practice reforestation and afforestation.I t is the opposite of deforestation. The bald skinned forest should be planted with trees again for the future purposes. Even though new trees are being planted right now, it cannot still match the percentage of trees that were cut down. Lastly, is to educate the public. Still, many people and students are not entirely aware of the global warming problem we’re facing right now. By educating your family, friends and other people, it will influence them to take care of our trees. Your action should make an impact

Stopping deforestation is not “rocket science.” t is not easy but it is still possible. We have to make sure that the future of our environment will be in the hands of the people now. We have to protect the environment, so the environment will protect us. We can already feel the bad impacts of global warming, but reversing them is not easy. All people should cooperate and work as one. Working together is the key to fight deforestation.

Forests are significant in helping the environment while deforestation is becoming a worldwide problem. It has represented one of the largest issues in global land use in the early 21st century. Deforestation is the clearing or thinning of forests, which is normally caused by human activity. Some of the major contributions of deforestation are due to commercial logging, land clearing for cattle ranches, plantations of rubber trees, oil palms, and other economically valuable trees. Another cause is the use of the practice of slash-and-burn agriculture or swidden agriculture. The farmers that practice this usually clear forest by burning them and then grow their crops in the soils fertilized by the ashes. This process only works to an extent. Fertility declines and weeds increase after several years of cultivation; the area remains fallow and returns to the secondary bush forest. Forests have become an essential part of helping humans survive. Although many people believe that deforestation shouldn’t be illegal, deforestation should be illegal because forests help the environment and people who only see this as a business opportunity can’t destroy it when it’s a necessity.

Forests hold an important role in the purification of the atmospheric air and the protection in wildlife. The largest remaining section of humid tropical forest hold about two-thirds of it remains in Brazil. WIth the largest rainforest located in Brazil, the country also has the greatest tree loss. By 2018 Brazil has lost about 3.2 million acres. The Amazon rainforest is by far the richest biologically region on Earth, “hosting about 25% of global biodiversity, and is a major contributor to the natural cycles required for the functioning of the Earth”(Rice). As deforestation continues, it has the potential to cause the extinction of a number of species. There has been a growing number of extinctions due to habitat loss. Last year, the Earth was losing animal species at 1,000 to 10,000 times the natural rate. A bird named cryptic treehunter hasn’t been seen in the wild since 2007 and is listed as critically endangered, maybe even extinct. Forest around the world take up to 2-3 billion tons of greenhouse gas. Deforestation affects rainfall patterns in different areas of the world. As these trees are cut down, the water being stored is lost. To keep up with maintaining these healthy moisture cycles “that provide sufficient rain for farmers, hydropower, and weather, we must keep healthy rainforests standing”(Rosolie). Since deforestation creates changes in weather patterns, there are fewer trees filtering carbon dioxide. This will lead to droughts and limit our ability to access water supplies, grow crops and meet the basic needs that we have every day. This drought results in the rainforest setting a dry climate and affecting living conditions. This dry climate results in a higher chance of fires because of this increased temperature. Altogether this is affecting the moisture cycle and the climate in a negative way.

Fires have recently become a big problem for the forest, which is causing deforestation to increase. According to the country’s space research center, forest fires have been the highest since 2013 and is 85% higher than last year. This means there have been more than 80,000 fires detected this year. The fires in the Amazon have caused outrage and concerned to environmental activists. Although the Amazon is wet and humid it is at its dry season. Altogether, about 30 million acres of tropical forest were lost in 2018, “according to an analysis of satellite images released by Global Forest Watch, a program of the environmental research group World Resources Institute. Of the 2018 total, close to nine million acres (an area the size of Belgium), were old-growth, or primary, forest, which stores more carbon than other types of forests and provides habitat that is critical to maintaining biodiversity. The nine-million-acre total is the third-highest since 2001”(Fountain). Once trees are burned, their energy is released as carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, a greenhouse gas that has the ability to alter the global climate. These trees are now no longer present to withdraw more carbon. The years 2016 and 2017 were also the worst for the world’s tropical forest as dry hot weather spread fires. Of course, the Amazon isn’t the only forest losing trees. There have been recent fires in California that have resulted in a estimated 198,392 acres burned. This also led to 6,190 incidents and 3 confirmed fatalities. The warmth and dryness of the environment makes the risk of fires a higher possibility.

Some people may believe that deforestation would help with overpopulation. Trees have also been cleared for wood products and for croplands and grazing lands. Using forests for land use has had a long history. One of the main reasons “that these forests are being cut down is to make room for expansion. With 10 billion people expected to be on the planet by 2050 and the never-ending growth explosion insight, space has become more of a premium necessity on Earth”(17 Important Pros and). Some people may believe this because the fewer room trees take the more room consumers can take. Some people may believe that deforestation will help a crowding population but it won’t help it in the long run because it isn’t a guarantee that people will have access to these usable land. The issue is that “most tropical soils are old and weathered. Their nutrient profile does not support crop grows without artificial intervention…Once you add in the repair costs to alleviate these issues, the financial benefits of clearing the trees might not outweigh the disadvantages that occur when there is less biological diversity”(ConnectUS). The sudden and unchangeable outcome of global deforestation can unquestionably put the continuation of human beings and the whole world in jeopardy. This pollution creates so much harm that over 200,000 people each year just in the United States die because of its influence. We must understand that the frequency and severity of these climate changes are directly tied to tree removal”(16 Biggest Advantages and).

Some people may say that deforestation is a way to make income however it cost more to get rid of parts of the forest. There are various “materials harvested from forests that earn an income for the workers and countries involved. Clearing forests is a way to create logging jobs. The mining opportunities found in the spaces create high wage positions which would not exist otherwise” (ConnectUS). This can be viewed as just another way to make money. Some people may believe this is just a quick income but the process of cutting down trees is very expensive. “The BBC is reporting on a new study which estimated that current deforestation is costing the world $2-5 trillion per year”(Schmidt). This also leads to ”limited profits for those who are participating in these activities. The removal of trees creates a tangible cost that limits the economic impact our global society needs”(16 Biggest Advantages and).

This all leads to forests being the biggest factor in helping the environment, it helps in giving clear air and provides some basic needs humans need. Even though some critics may say that deforestation should be allowed without a cost, it should be considered illegal because forests hold many things that are beneficial to us. Some people may believe that deforestation would help with overpopulation. Some people may believe that deforestation will help a crowding population but it won’t help it in the long run because it isn’t a guarantee that people will have access to these usable land. This is something people should start discussing more because once forests start disappearing rapidly it will become harder to replace. Although forests may recover after being cleared, this isn’t always the case. The combination of steep slopes, high rainfall, and the lack of tree roots to bind the soil can lead to disastrous landslides that destroy fields, homes, and human lives.

Have you ever thought about how important forests are in life? The trees in your surrounding seem unimportant as you go about daily life, acknowledging them only as the scenery and background in your life. But if you think about it, trees are everywhere in life. Your furniture, paper you write on, fruit you eat, even the air you breathe comes from trees. We, as consumers rely heavily on trees and forests as resources, but forests are shrinking instead of growing, all because of deforestation. Deforestation is an important issue. It is a problem that stems from our misuse of resources. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, from 2000 to 2010, an estimated amount of 13 million hectares of forest were lost per year because of deforestation. And what do we do all this for? Benefits to companies, industrialization, expansion for factories. People see deforestation as a beneficial action, as they are gaining resources and clearing land for usage, but what people don’t understand is that cutting these trees affects us more than we believe. All deforestation does is damage, whether it be people or the wildlife, cutting down forests harms more than it helps.

By clearing forests, we are causing the decline of wildlife. We destroy habitats and increase the vulnerability of animals, and therefore threatening Earth’s biodiversity. About 80% of the world’s documented species live in tropical rainforests (Greenpeace), and when we cut down these forests, we threaten the animals and harm their homes. Water cycles are disrupted as trees can’t evaporate groundwater, which causes the surrounding climate to become much drier. Soil erosion is accelerated because trees are no longer there to protect and keep the soil in place. Generally speaking, through deforestation, we are disrupting and harming wildlife, which causes an imbalance in the environment.

The disruption and destruction of forests also destabilizes oxygen sources and greenhouse gas emissions. Forests play an important role in both the containment of carbon dioxide and the purification of air through oxygen. The loss of forests makes up about six to twelve percent of annual global carbon dioxide emissions. When forests are cut down, carbon absorption stops, and the carbon already stored in the trees is released into the atmosphere. Deforestation also affects global climate change and global warming. Trees are our main way of storing carbon dioxide, but if we continue cutting trees down and allowing the carbon dioxide to escape into the air, the climate would change drastically, and global warming would most likely speed up. Every year, due to deforestation, an estimated amount of 1.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide is released into the air. Trees are our main source of oxygen, and by cutting these trees down, we are only hurting ourselves and our future.

When it comes to the future lives of humans, deforestation also poses a threat. The economic importance of forests would impact the quality of our lives, especially so for the millions of people who rely directly and heavily on forests. Those who rely on collecting natural resources or hunting and gathering in forests would be heavily impacted. This economic blowback may also cause social conflicts over resources and other such issues. Damage to nature could halve living standards for the poor and reduce global GDP by about 7% by 2050 (BBC News).

Ending deforestation is the best chance to preserve wildlife, help stop climate change and protect the rights of forest societies. There is much which can be done to stop or prevent deforestation. Every day over two million trees are being cut down to supply paper in just the US alone. Worldwide, its been found out that around 40% of timber is being used to make paper products. As the paper industry has such high demand for wood, it’s no surprise that many trees are being cut down. Reducing paper use decreases your contribution to the deforestation of forests. Palm oil is found in more than half the products in supermarkets. Although a small amount of palm oil being produced is sustainable, majority comes from cleared land. Malaysia and Indonesia is where a large percentage of the worlds palm oil manufacturing comes from, where great amounts of the virgin rainforest are rapidly being cleared. When shopping try to avoid products containing palm oil. This will reduce the consumer demand on the product. Just by taking these small steps you are helping to stop climate change and millions of plant and animals species out there being affected by deforestation.

As stated previously, all deforestation does is harm. So the next time you pass a tree or a park, take a moment to appreciate it and all it has done for people. Take a moment to think about the future lives of your descendants and family, and think about what would happen if there was a significant lack of forests. Think about the environment and how you could help. Plant a tree, become an advocate against deforestation and forest degradation, start protests against harming the environment. Put a little effort into saving Earth, and think about a future that you helped make better.

Deforestation is the clearing of forests to satisfy various human needs. These largely include the need to expand the agricultural land, increase the number of residential colonies, set up new industries and derive various products from trees and plants. While man is indulging in deforestation to meet the demands of the growing population and to make life comfortable, this process is having several ill effects on our environment.

Ill Effects of Deforestation

Here are some of the ill effects of deforestation:

1. Global Warming

Trees are a rich source of oxygen. They exhale the life-giving oxygen and absorb the harmful gases from the environment thereby making it cleaner. They particularly balance the amount of carbon in the environment by the process of photosynthesis. Cutting more and more trees mean causing imbalance in the carbon cycle. Deforestation is resulting in lesser absorption of carbon and other harmful gases by the trees which is adding to global warming.

1. Soil Erosion

When vast numbers of trees that hold the soil with their roots are uprooted it results in soil erosion. Deforestation has caused huge soil erosion across the world especially in the past few decades. Soil erosion results in numerous problems. When heavy rain falls on the cleared forests it carries the soil with it to the rivers. This disrupts the irrigation process. It also raises the river bed that increases the risk of floods. Besides, the accumulation of sediments in the rivers cause harm to the fish eggs. As this soiled water reaches the oceans, it dirties the water there and harms the coral reefs.

1. Threat to Wildlife

One of the most harmful effects of deforestation is the loss of life of various wildlife animals due to the loss of their habitat. Forests are home for numerous species of animals that are unable to adapt elsewhere. Many species of wild animals have gone extinct because of deforestation and many others are struggling to survive in their new surroundings.

1. Impact on Water Cycle

Trees play a vital role in balancing the water level in the atmosphere. Forests that contain vast numbers of trees and plants release large amount of water into the atmosphere by way of plant transpiration. This refills the clouds and causes rain which is essential for life on Earth. The continual cutting of tress is disrupting the water cycle. This in turn is causing dryer soil which is a big concern for the agriculturists. Lack of rain also causes numerous other problems.

1. Increased Risk of Floods

Forests play a significant role in maintaining the Earth’s climate. The average temperature of Earth has increased significantly due to deforestation in the last few decades. If we do not control the clearing of forest land this will further increase the Earth’s temperature. Increase in temperature results in melting of ice caps and glaciers which further results in the increase in ocean and sea levels. The increase in sea level is already causing frequent floods in the coastal areas. Further, it can result in submergence of the coastal areas under water.

Conclusion

Hence, we see that there is a tremendous need to save our forests. Deforestation has led us to the verge of destruction. If we do not stop it now we will be destroying our environment further and it will be difficult for us to survive.

Deforestation is a global problem. Both tropical and rain forests are being cut year after year to fulfil various human needs. The government of different countries around the world must make a collective effort to overcome this problem. Though the cutting of trees cannot be stopped completely, it can definitely be reduced with proper planning and efforts.

Overpopulation is a root problem of all the environmental issues. If you can control the population, you can control almost anything.

Never before has there been such a large magnitude of humans on the face of our planet. With our numbers crossing the 8 billion mark, humans have surpassed every other large animal to become the most populous mammal on earth. It is this very figure that becomes the basis of the modern world problem of overpopulation.

The United Nations defines Overpopulation as “The exceeding of certain threshold limits of population density when environmental resources fail to meet the requirements of individual organisms regarding shelter, nutrition and so forth. It gives rise to high rates of mortality and morbidity.” Thus, overpopulation is based on the problem of scarcity of natural resources and the unending human wants. It has a direct linkage to environmental issues like Global warming that pose a severe threat to humanity’s existence in the succeeding decades. While the problem of overpopulation poses a global concern, countries like India happen to be the most adversely affected by this phenomenon. Greater population is linked with greater need for essentials, higher maintenance expenditure and increased burden on social and administrative services. This leads to mismanagement and inefficiency in the utilization of natural resources, thus inducing increased carbon emissions, destruction of forest cover, loss of diverse fauna and the overall degradation of the environment.

Causes of Overpopulation

For a large portion of human history, the population grew at a slow and steady rate. This continued until the dawn of the industrial revolution combined with increased urbanization and modernization. The spike of population in India can be attributed to the following factors:

High Birth Rate and Low Death Rate: The rapid advancements in the field of medicine reduced the death rate significantly. Previously, a family would consist of anywhere between 6 to 8 children. This was owing to the fact that it was relatively unlikely for infants to reach adulthood. With the beginning of the modern era, the death rate plunged while the birth rate did not see a drop to such an extent.

Poverty and Illiteracy: Due to widespread poverty, increased fertility was also correlated to the early employment of children for the sustenance of the family. Moreover, absence of awareness about family planning and lack of essential education about contraceptives continued the trend of India’s high fertility rate.

Illegal migration: While this factor has been quite region-specific, it does attribute to high population density and consequent stress over the available natural resources.

While human beings have the potential to bring about immense change, untrained human capital and overpopulation turn these necessary assets and liabilities.

Overpopulation and the need for sustainability

India’s population explosion and the simultaneous large-scale industrialization and urbanization. After the year of the great divide (1921), India has not recorded a decline in its overall population. India happens to house 17.5% of the global population on 2.4% of its available land area. This has contributed to increasing tension on the primary sector and put immense pressure on our natural resources to meet the country’s ever-increasing demands. This is creating problems that will have seemingly long-lasting effects.

Excessive stress on land resources: India is a country that has been predominantly reliant on its agricultural sector for sources of employment. With the land remaining fixed and the population increasing speedily, the farmers focus on methods that fetch them maximum yield irrespective of its impact on the land in the long run. Heavy use of fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides have resulted in decreasing fertility, increasing alkalinity and the overall degradation of cultivable soil. Moreover, activities like overgrazing and chemical use have increased soil erosion. In many regions, the topsoil (most fertile component of the soil) has been eroded to critical levels.

Of the 328.7 million hectares of land in India, approximately 175 million hectares have been deemed as land and soil degraded. This only makes it more difficult for the poor farmers because not only are they unable to afford expensive technological inputs for improving productivity but also have to deal with the problem of unfertile soil. According to the 2011 census, 57% of the total land in India was used for cultivation. While this does point to the backwardness of the Indian economy, it also indicates an ever-increasing pressure on the land. With the efficiency being maximized through various chemical and technological means, expansion to new areas of cultivation seems to be the only alternative.

Lack of water and depleting water-table: One of the gravest issues arising from overpopulation seems to be that of water depletion and declining groundwater levels. Farmers in the states of Punjab and Haryana have continued to grow water-intensive crops like rice with increasing produce every year. These crops also provide the farmers with reasonable MSP rates and relative security. However, both Punjab and Haryana are only able to do so at the expense of their elaborate irrigation network. Essentially dry soil of these states means that the farmers have no choice but to draw enormous amounts of water from wells and tube wells massively impacting the water-table levels which otherwise took years to form.

Moreover, an ever-increasing water has led to rapid increase in fresh water demands. Thus, various fresh-water sources like rivers, lakes and wells are exploited to a critical extent.

Loss of forest cover: 21.9% of the Indian population live below the poverty line. A significant portion of these individuals have a huge dependence on natural resources for their subsistence. Due to lack of knowledge, a large portion of the population continues to use wood and dung cakes as a source of fuel. Not only are they inefficient in terms of carbon emission but also cause large scale deforestation. As mentioned in (1.) The increasing need for food grains has also forced large scale deforestation. In 1951, the amount of land used for cultivation in India was 118.75 million hectares of land, but in 2001 that number increased to 142.82 million hectares of land. Most of the land that became available in this 50-year span was because of forests being chopped down.

Forests are an essential part of the ecosystem and play a vital role in maintaining a balance in the environment. They play an important role in enhancing the quality of environment by influencing the ecological balance and life support system (checking soil erosion, maintaining soil fertility, conserving water, regulating water cycles and floods, balancing carbon dioxide and oxygen content in the atmosphere.

Environmental pollution: With the growth of population, there is a greater need for manufactured products and subsequently a greater need of industries. While the development of industries is necessary for the economic well-being of the country, they are huge polluters and often disturb their surrounding ecosystem. Furthermore, India being a developing nation is highly dependent on fossil fuels (especially coal) for meeting its power and energy needs. India also contains one of the largest numbers of on road vehicles having a significant contribution to global carbon emissions. While there has been an increase in the investment of renewable energy, the transition towards an efficient and renewable-based nation is a far-fetched goal.

Points 3. and 4. bring out an interesting dichotomy of development and poverty in terms of their environmental impact. A poorer population would mean higher inefficiency which would further contribute to usage of inefficient sources of energy. This would lead to widespread pollution and deforestation.

On the flip side poverty alleviation and a transition towards a more developed society would facilitate the need for industrialization. Rampant construction of factories and their large-scale utilization would also have a hefty cost in environmental terms.

Habitat and Biodiversity loss: India is one of the 12 mega-biodiversity countries of the world. It accounts for almost 8% of all the recorded species that are present on our planet, including over 45000 species of plants and 91000 species of animals. Increasing human settlements are causing heavy loss in the habitat of a large number of animals. The destruction of entire ecosystems has put many kinds of flora and fauna on the brink of extinction. It is estimated that in the worldwide perspective slightly over 1000 animal species and subspecies are threatened with the extinction rate of one per year, while 20,000 flowering plants are thought to be at risk (Compendium of Environment Statistics, 2000).

Countermeasures taken by the Government

Curbing the growth of the population has been one of the primary objectives of the government. India’s fertility rate has reduced drastically from over 6 in the colonial era to 2.22 presently. This has only been achieved through the administration of soft and indirect methods to change the perception of the general public. Information has been imparted to the rural sects of the society about the advantages of family planning. Greater awareness has also been spread with regards to sex education and the use of contraceptives. One of the biggest reasons of slowing population growth rate has been a decline in poverty and a rise in literacy rates. It is completely true that “Development is the best contraceptive”.

A Transition towards Sustainable methods

It is clearly evident that the impacts of overpopulation in the long run will be disastrous economically, socially and ecologically. This makes adoption of sustainable practice essential. The population explosion in India has led to excessive stress of natural resources, forcing farmers, industrialists and politicians to use any means necessary for meeting current demands. As discussed above, such practices are degrading land, destroying forest cover, endangering species, increasing carbon emissions, deteriorating air quality and causing water scarcity. Thus, it is necessary to innovate and enhance our current practices along with the control on population. This can be achieved through the adoption various sustainable substitutes:

Farmers should be encouraged to only produce crops that are suitable to the climatic conditions and soil type of their respective areas. The government should subsidize organic fertilizers and manure instead of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Moreover, the rural farmers can be educated about upcoming innovation in farming like hydroponics, aquaponics and vertical farming techniques. This would help in the diversification of produce and be a vital solution to diminishing land space.

Practices like rainwater harvesting could help solve the water crisis in many parts of the country. There should also be regulated use of tube wells and wells to prevent over exploitation by farmers and the general public.

To prevent ecological imbalances, destruction of dense forests for infrastructure or power projects should be brought down to a minimum. There should be greater focus on restoring the dense forest cover in the country. Along with that, stricter regulations with regards to hunting and poaching should be put in place.

The journey to becoming a completely sustainable nation reliant on renewable energy is a tough one. However, with proper execution and planning, it is completely possible to form an India with a steady population serving.

Over 47,500 forest fires have occurred within the past year. Of those 47,500 forest fires, 6,315 occurred within the Amazon. According to the article The Disappearing Rainforests, with this many fires occurring, “more than 20 percent of the Amazon rainforest is already gone, and much more is severely threatened as the destruction continues”. Not only does this information bring awareness to a sensitive situation, but it also encourages individuals to take action. Not only are animals and habitats harmed throughout the duration of a forest fire, but plant life is also killed. People need to be made aware of these occurrences and be informed on what action needs to be taken in order to help prevent more forest fires from occurring.

What many individuals do not understand is that humans are one main cause of forest fires. This is because in order to create more housing and farmland, trees are knocked down in order to make more room. This process is labeled as deforestation—forest fires can be a result of this action. According to the article Deforestation Explained, “since humans started cutting down forests, 46 percent of trees have been felled, according to a 2015 study in the journal Nature. About 17 percent of the Amazonian rainforest has been destroyed over the past 50 years, and losses recently have been on the rise”(Nunez). Forests not only give animals a home, but they also help slow climate change. Trees capture greenhouse gases (GHGs) like carbon dioxide, preventing them from accumulating in the atmosphere and warming our planet. Preventing the planet from overheating helps not only humans but the food we grow and need to survive.

The Amazon Rainforest is one of the largest rainforests in the world. This being said, there are many things that constantly seem to want to cause harm to it. The rainforest has delt with many other threats other than just fires. Deforestation is one main reason why the Amazon Rainforest has lost nearly 770,000 square km of forest. To put that number into perspective, the total amount of forest lost is equivalent to the size of Texas. All of this damage has been done only within the past thirty to forty years. The individuals who cut down all of the trees has managed to destroy more forest in the past four decades than the last 450 years combined. This does not just include the deforestation but the major forest fires that have come as a result.

As seen in the graph, the number of forest fires from the year 2019 has doubled since 2018. This is because, in order to accommodate more people; forests need to be removed to be able to build more houses, create more farms, and build more buildings for jobs and businesses. Not only does harming the tree increase climate change, it also conveys a big problem arising, overpopulation.

By the 1970s, overpopulation hysteria came fully back into vogue. Stanford University biologist Paul Ehrlich published The Population Bomb in 1968, which opened with the lines, “The battle to feed all of humanity is over”. Human overpopulation is among the most pressing environmental issues, silently aggravating the forces behind global warming, environmental pollution, habitat loss, the sixth mass extinction, intensive farming practices and the consumption of finite natural resources, such as fresh water, arable land and fossil fuels. Overpopulation has continued to become a rising issue—however, not much is being done to help gradually solve this issue. Many ideas have been thrown around to help solve overpopulation and some countries have enforced them, but others have not.

Not only does overpopulation have a big impact on deforestation, but forest fires also play a key role in shaping ecosystems by serving as an agent of renewal and change. But fire can be deadly, destroying homes, wildlife habitat and timber, and polluting the air with emissions harmful to human health. Fire also releases carbon dioxide—a key greenhouse gas—into the atmosphere. This have a huge impact on the animals who have mad habitats within these forests. In a recent article it portrays, “scientists told AFP that more than 2.3 million animals may have died in the flames racing through the protected forest areas in the region, as well as grasslands like the tropical savannas of the Chiquitania region”(D’Mello). Many animals have gone extinct because of forest fires and deforestation.

Many different primary forests makeup the Amazon Rainforest. Some of these forests could be wiped out by one forest fire because of how small of a percentage they take up. Many animals inhabit these areas and in they have to leave their habitat, some may die off because they are unable to adapt to new areas. Not only do animals have to move habitats because of forest fires but also people. Animals are most often moved by people who are experiencing problems with wildlife or by those who think the animal would be better off somewhere else. Never move wildlife; it can cause a lot of harm to the animal. The animal will struggle finding food, water, and shelter in a new area, possible leading to death.

Many organizations have been created to help these animals in need. Multiple options have been given to help save Amazon Rainforest’s: choose products that give back, support indigenous communities, reduce your carbon footprint, share rainforest news on social media. We need to make people aware that humans are a big reason for most of Amazon Rainforest’s fires. Most individuals could care less about the outcome of our forests, not just the Amazon Rainforests. The forests are a big part of human evolution. We need the rain forests to produce oxygen and clean the atmosphere to help us breathe. We also know that the earth’s climate can be affected, as well as the water cycle. Rainforests also provide us with many valuable medicinal plants and may be a source of a cure from some deadly diseases.

Deforestation and forest fires play a major role in the increase in climate change. Not only is global warming a result of deforestation and forest fires but overpopulation also has a part to play. Many individuals need housing and more farmland in order to compensate everyone. This then results in forests being knocked down to make room for new individuals. Not only are humans affected by this change, but so are animals. When forests are knocked down, animals need to migrate to a new area in order to stay alive. Unfortunately, some animals are unable to adapt and die off. Many things can be done to help reduce all these problems. What will you do to help the health and future of our earth?

Forest is an essential source for pleasing people’s desires and needs. Thus, certainly people would try to take advantages of forest resources. This process of utilizing forest is called deforestation. Human beings clear the forest in order to use it for their needs, this is known as deforestation. In other words, the process of deforestation is the clearance of forest by cutting down the trees for achieving several demands. Forest has a necessary role in meeting people’s needs. Consequently people usually cut down the trees of the forest without having the ability to understand the real knowledge. Deforestation is the main cause of Desertification. Forest is the main source of vitality, raw materials, fodder, animal habitat, tourism and so on. These sources also supply some of the basic needs of human being. People who are jobless, take cutting trees as job opportunities. And also the weak policies, rules and regulations of government results in deforestation. Since the industrial age, about half of world’s original forests have been destroyed and millions of animals and living things havebeen endangered. Despite the improvements in education, information and general awareness of the importance of forests, deforestation has not reduced much.

Deforestation, the clearing or thinning of forests by humans. Deforestation represents one of the largest issues in global land use. Estimates of deforestation traditionally are based on the area of forest cleared for human use, including removal of the trees for wood products and for croplands and grazing lands. In the practice of clear-cutting, all the trees are removed from the land, which completely destroys the forest. In some cases, however, even partial logging and accidental fires thin out the trees enough to change the forest structure dramatically. In the early 21st century, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that the annual rate of deforestation is about 1.3 million square km per decade, though the rate has slowed in some places due to the modern ways of deforestation such as the enhanced forest management practices and the establishment of nature preserves. Harvesting, forest fires, and insect infestations do not count as deforestation because the affected areas will eventually grow back. In some countries, such as Canada and America, all areas harvested must be reforested either by replanting or through natural regeneration.

Forests used to cover the earth before corporate interest. The history of deforestation started since late 1800 when people started to live in wood like lands. In order to create homes, fire, resources, weapons. before deforestation happened there were thousands of forests covering the earth. Now there is roughly about 30 % left of rainforest left. The problem with deforestation is that many use the “Slash and Burn” method in order to create space. What does that mean? It means that they cut down the trees and then burn down the land in order to create space. Space became an important part of collecting resources. Being in conditions where farming was in demand for production as the population started increasing land had to be created. Usually in spaces where trees were in abundance and usually created in poor communities. All of this created a huge problem as time passed by from having over 75% of rainforest in the world to 30% in about a century affecting us in great danger.

For as long as we lived in this beautiful world the human specie is and always will be the most dangerous species in mother earth. As humans, our greatest weakness is the inability to stop and reconsider the impact we have made, the thirst for more. Our principal is based on the idea that we as humans have to do everything to survive, nothing else matters. But if our principle is based on survival how is it that we are killing the one thing we cant live without? Mother nature has taken a catastrophic impact on its life source. Deforestation has been the start of our self-destruction. Many people have don’t understand the meaning of deforestation. To put it simply it is the massive destruction of wild forests by cutting down trees for human need. The desire for wood increased as humans found how useful it was. Nowadays massive corporations take the lead in deforestation. According to paperimpact.org “3.5 million cubic feet of wood is cut a year. It’s not something new, the idea of cutting down trees, killing everything on our path and not thinking twice is in our genes. But only recently people started to worry. Worrying about all the damage we as humans have caused to nature. The problem of destroying habitats, killing animals, and contributing to pollution is only ben seen by few. As the article written by globalchange.edu, it states“ it is impossible to overstate the importance of humankind’s clearing of the forests. The transformation of forested lands by human actions represents one of the great forces in global environmental change. This means that or acts as humans and our needs have taken a critical impact on something as powerful as the weather. Weather that can extinguish us so easily, that without it the human specie wouldn’t have been so successful. As the climate changed the concern for answers increased. Scientist were pressured to find answers. They noticed that deforestation played a key part. As time passed the demand for wood increased exponentially. In fact “About one-half of the forests that covered the Earth are gone, according to globalchange.edu This made them notice that deforestation was a major problem. As the years pass the number of tress being cut increases only to lead to a bigger problem. But of coarse the trees can grow back but at the rate that deforestation is happening the growth of trees can not keep up. According to ARM.gov “ It has been estimated that the original area covered by forests was about 6 billion hectares. This means that almost half of the forests are gone. Only to feed our selfish ways. The problem of deforestation has been in our hands for too long. It will not go away but instead, get worse. It is time to change.

Mining. The increase of mining on tropical forests is furthering damage due to the rising demand and high mineral prices. These projects are often accompanied by large infrastructure construction, such as roads, railways, and power systems. This contributor to deforestation is putting additional pressure on our forests and freshwater ecosystems.

Multiple factors, either of human or natural origin, cause deforestation. There are natural factors such as natural forest fires or diseases from parasites that can result in deforestation. Nevertheless, it’s mainly human activities that are responsible for global deforestation. According to the World Forestry State report published by FAO, the expansion of agriculture caused nearly 80% of global deforestation. This phenomenon is remarkably strong in South America, Africa, and Asia. The construction of infrastructures like roads or dams, together with mining activities and urbanization. Paper. America, China, Japan, and Canada make up more than of the world’s paper production— 400 million tons a year. Approximately 640 million trees represent the paper that’s thrown away each year, according to the Environment Paper Network. If we recycled, we could save 27.5 million tons of carbon dioxide from going into the atmosphere. By using recycled paper, we allow the forests to remain as an ecosystem and wildlife habitat.

Overpopulation. Due to overpopulation, more land is needed to establish housing and settlements. As well as many, many more roads and highways are being built in order to accommodate a larger sum of people driving. With more people that come with a large need for food and farmland to grow on and raise livestock—resulting in deforestation. Logging industries will cut down trees for furniture, paper, building materials, and many more products. These are a direct result of growing human population and is why it’s important to purchase from sustainable companies which actively work against deforestation.

The current world population of 7.2 billion is projected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050, according to a UN report. Agriculture Expansion & Livestock Ranching. A major cause of deforestation is agriculture plantations. An increasing supply-demand for products such as palm oil and soybeans are driving producers to clear forests at an unnerving rate. Farmers often clear the land for cattle by using slash and burn techniques (cutting down trees and burning them). Unfortunately, they will then use the property until the soil is completely degraded and repeat the process on a new patch of woodland. Eventually, it’ll reforest, but it will take many years to return to its original condition.

Cattle ranching and deforestation are strongest in Latin America. Over the past 40 years, the forest area has reduced by almost an astounding 40 percent. During the same period, 40 years, pasture regions and cattle populations have grown significantly and rapidly Climate Change. Forests are essentially the lungs of our planet. All plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Trees are able to convert more carbon dioxide than a regular plant, though. Forest loss is often caused by climate change. Tropical rainforests are extremely humid due to the water vapor released along with the oxygen. But when a forest is cut down, the humidity levels decrease and causes the remaining plants to dry out. For example, drying out our tropical rainforests increases fire damage. Fires can be both accidental and intentional but destroy forests quickly. Logging. Wood-based industries such as paper, matchsticks, and furniture need a substantial quantity of wood. Lumber and charcoal are common examples of trees being used as fuel. Cooking and heating all around the world use these resources, and half of the illegal removal from forests is thought to be used as fuelwood. Large areas are also cleared to construct roads in order for large trucks to have entry to logging sites. Selective logging is where only the most valuable trees are felled, however, this doesn’t help our problem as one large tree may bring down surrounding trees and thin the forest canopy. The forest canopy is extremely important to the ecosystem as it houses animals, protects plants and insect population, and protects the forest floor. Desertification Of Land. Some of the other reasons that result in deforestation is also part natural and part anthropogenic like Desertification of land. It occurs because of the land misuse making it unfit for the growth of trees. Many industries in petrochemicals release their waste into rivers which results in soil erosion and makes it ineligible to grow plants and trees. Fires. Another example would be forest blazes; Hundreds of trees are lost each year due to forest fires in various portions of the world. This happens due to extreme warm summers and milder winters. Fires, whether causes by man or nature results in huge loss of forest cover.

There are two main effects of the deforestation of tropical rainforests; environmental and economical. Each are devastatingly affected by deforestation, whether it be the Western World that feels the effects economically, the natives that show the effects in a produce or the animals that die as a result of deforestation, all are affected.

Depending on the location and density and species of trees in each rainforest, a different level of trees are cut down every year, however, there is a general list of effects from deforestation. Increased Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Trees help to mitigate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, but they become carbon sources once they’re cut, burned, or otherwise removed. It’s estimated that deforestation is responsible for around 20% of greenhouse gas emissions and 1.5 billion tons of carbon is released every year by tropical deforestation.

Loss Of Species. Orangutans, giant pandas, rhinos, and the Asian elephant are just a few of hundreds of endangered species due to deforestation. Removing trees thins the forest canopy which is meant to block sun rays during the day and holds in the heat at night. This damaging disruption leads to extreme temperature swings that are harmful to plants and animals. Many animals, insects, and plants lose their habitats and may become endangered and even go extinct.

Though a few species are killed directly in forest clearances, many will face a slower death sentence due to a lack of food and breeding rates decline. White-cheeked spider monkeys are endangered largely specifically because of the enlargement of farmland and road construction. Because of water pollution from mining operations and agricultural runoff the giant otter is now Flooding And Erosion. Without trees to secure fertile soil, erosion often occurs and sweeps sacred land into nearby rivers. Erosion also causes contaminants in the soil to leach into the water supply which will greatly decrease the quality of our drinking water. Trees are also crucial for our local water cycles as they assist in returning water vapor to the atmosphere.

Forests serve as nature’s water purification plants and as the rain water percolates within the soil and is held in place by intricate root structures of many layers of trees. When the protective forest canopy and roots have been destroyed, the soil will lose its proportions to retain water and is washed away into rivers and streams Climate Change. that deforestation affects the global climate both by releasing the carbon stored in the living plants and soils and by altering the physical properties of the planetary surface.

This happens because trees are storage for the carbon dioxide released by the human through respiration. Trees stored carbon dioxide to make their own food through the photosynthesis process. When the trees were all cut down, there are no more trees to absorb carbon dioxide that is released by humans. Carbon dioxide will then release directly to the atmosphere and temperature will increase. When carbon dioxide in the air increases severely, the temperature will increase severely too. This will result in a phenomena named global warming. When global warming happens, ice in the North Pole and the South Pole will melt. This results in the increasing of the sea level. The water will flood the country that has a lower sea level and they will disappear from the surface of the earth. Acidic Oceans. The oceans are becoming more acidic with an increased supply of carbon dioxide from deforestation and burning fossil fuels. Oceans are already 30 percent more acidic since the Industrial Revolution, putting ocean species and ecosystems at an extreme risk. endangered. It is estimated that we are losing 137 plant, animal, and insect species every day which equates to 50,000 species a year. It’s also been estimated that 40% of the animal and plant species in Southeast Asia could be wiped out in the 21st century. A recent study of the Brazilian Amazon predicts that up to 90% of extinctions will occur in the next 40 years.

Life Quality Decrease. Millions of people in the world depend on forests for hunting, small- scale agriculture, gathering, and medicine. Common materials we use every day such as latex, cork, fruit, nuts, natural oils, and resins are found in the tropical forests. Deforestation disrupts the lives of millions of people. In Southeast Asia, deforestation has contributed to social conflict and migration Disappearance Of Indigenous People. When desertification happens, it deadly affects the indigenous people, as it contributes to death, illness, poorness, and culture shock. This is because indigenous people live in the forest and their source of foods come from the forest. Logging activities have become one way to earn money. Therefore, all the companies have build their factory near the rivers. When they cut down the trees and bring it back the process, all the wastewater will flow into the river. Indigenous people drink water from the river. As a result, they will get sick because of the dirty water caused by the factories. It can even promote to death if it get serious. Besides that, the culture will soon vanished when the indigenous people becomes lesser and lesser. Cultural shock will happen and the history of the culture will soon be forgotten.

Today I am going to address a serious topic related with global warming issue. Deforestation. When the word ‘deforestation’ appear the first thing that comes to our mind is man-made. Deforestation is a method of constantly removed of trees and forest which people clearing trees for their own benefit. Deforestation can be occur in many method such as logging, burning, intensive agriculture and more. Deforestation occurs all around the world, particularly targeted towards the tropical country. Modern day deforestation is a major problem because of the destruction of trees and the rate of deforestation is fast that almost 3000 trees are being cut down permanently. According to the National Geographic wild statistic predict that trees will go extinct within 100 years this contribute terrible effect on humans because the trees that being removal are no longer produced a large needed amount of oxygen.

Next, deforestation causes a lot of environmental effects such as flooding, soil erosion, unbalanced humidity in the atmosphere, greenhouse effect and habitat loss. Logging trees is an extreme way of clearing land since all the trees in the are cut regardless of the species that living in the specific area. Then, burning forest is a method that cause the increase of carbon dioxide in the air, and increases greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. And intensive agriculture is a destruction process that required large amount of land and worker to proceed. They used large amount of fertilizer with chemicals to spread over the large distance of land that the chemical might affect the surrounding land and soil acidity.

In the past few week, the fire of the Amazon rainforest is pay close attention by the nation because of the serious consequences that causing locally and globally. The Amazon is the largest rainforest in South America and its call as the lung of the earth, it absorbed 20% of carbon dioxide in the air which is important in stabilizing the global climate. In addition it causes climate change, by decreasing the amount of rainfall to the earth surface and increase the risk of forest habitat destruction. However the reduce of tree has disrupt the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the

Deforestation is happening because many farmer need place for agricultural purposes and for farming cows. According to the rainforests concerned farmer cut many trees at once this an effect negatively because the huge patches of land cleared of trees are left to dry out farmers then have to cut more trees because the patches of tree are never grow back

Solution – everyone has a role in deforestation. We need to create stricter laws on reducing the current rate of deforestation and enforce our placement plan for the new trees must be planted in the place of the old trees. This will help lands clear that trees to regrow and sustained as a trees grow back farmers can move on to other small patches of land. Deforestation is a growing problem and if not stopped it will only continue to hurt our environment whether you are somebody who is on a tropical vacation or just somebody who is concern for our environment it is up to us to act now and defend our precious.

Maathai is locally and worldwide renowned as a conservation environmentalist and crusader for gender and social justice. A woman of many firsts, amongst them, the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in East and Central Africa (1971) and to head the Veterinary Anatomy Department, at one of Kenya’s oldest and most prestigious Universities – the University of Nairobi (UON) in 1976 to ultimately becoming the winner of one of the most coveted global prizes, the Nobel Peace Prize (2004), (valued at 100 million dollars during that time) among other recognitions. She however is best remembered for her relentless work in protecting the environment, fighting for democratic rights and space for Kenya’s citizens, women’s empowerment, the eradication of poverty, and civic engagement and planting over 40 million trees through her Green Belt Movement. Her efforts saw her being appointed as the Assistant Minister of Environment, Natural Resources, and Wildlife during the regime of President Kibaki, the third President of the Republic of Kenya (2002-2013).

Born in 1940 in the foothills of the Aberdare Mountain Range in Nyeri, Central Kenya, in Ihithe, Wamagana village, Maathai recalls the land is lush, green, and fertile, with regular seasons, abundant shrubs, creepers, ferns, and trees, where rain fell regularly and reliably, clean drinking water and food was plentiful and hunger was virtually unknown. All this slowly eroded away when Kenya was colonized by the British and the administrators introduced new methods of exploiting the rich natural resources that they found. This included; logging, clear-cutting indigenous forests, establishing plantations of imported trees, hunting wildlife, and undertaking expansive commercial agriculture. Indigenous trees were cut to make room for tea and coffee plantations. Sacred landscape lost their sacredness and was exploited as the local people became insensitive to the destruction, accepting it as a sign of progress. This environmental destruction, the key being deforestation has resulted in degradation leading to high levels of risk and poverty. This exploitation has continued to date long after the colonizers left in the name of development. Maathai ponders that the clear springs that gave sweet water the birds chirping that woke all early in the morning, the thick foliage and forest cover no longer exists at the Aberdare ranges. Other parts of Kenya have too suffered similar destruction. causes of land degradation in Kenya include poor land management (mostly destruction of natural vegetation in the catchment areas through activities such as farming, encroachment, and illegal logging of forests). Deforestation in the past was also caused by forest excision for farm settlement and illegal tree felling for fuel use and timber. This caused increased runoff, flash flooding, reduced infiltration, soil erosion, and siltation in the dams and other water reservoirs.

Maathai’s illustrious career can be traced to the 70s when she began teaching in the Department of Anatomy and later the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Nairobi. At that time very few Kenyan women had managed to attain a university education leave alone undertake doctoral studies. She later formed the Green Belt Movement whose goal was to plant at least a million trees a year. She was also a member of a number of Civic organizations like The Red Cross, the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), and the National Council of Women (NCWK) to name but a few. Later, she ventured into politics, vying for a parliamentary seat in her home Constituency, Nyeri in 1982. However, it was not easy going for her as the ruling party in the then One Party State that Kenya was then, did not want her in Parliament due to her activism on social justice and opposing deforestation to make room for development and human settlement. She had to undergo hardship and great resistance from the political class of her time. Nevertheless, her life appears to have been guided by what humankind is mandated by God to do in the Book of Genesis: And now we will make human beings; they will be like us and resemble us. They will have power over fish, the birds, and all animals, domestic and wild (Gen. 1:26)—both male and female (Gen. 1:27), and God command’s them to have many children so that their descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. She lived by this responsibility that had been bestowed on humankind seriously, to nurture, care for and preserve nature for generations to come. A real steward of God’s earth.

Though she won the hearts of many and became a hero to thousands if not millions, she also rubbed a lot of powerful people and the leadership of the day in the wrong way. Maathai on a number of occasions was arrested for protesting against the cutting of forests to give way to human settlement as well as fighting for the democratic rights of Kenyan citizens and more so those who were arbitrarily arrested and detained for speaking against the excesses of the leadership of the day. Beaten and imprisoned a number of times, her activism ultimately helped defeat Kenya’s corrupt, authoritarian leadership and created a new path for ecological resilience. Maathai just like other visionary people like Blake and Hesse turned trees into an instrument of civil disobedience, empowerment, emancipation, advancing democracy, human rights, and environmental justice.

She was also a big crusader for democratic rights and her efforts towards this saw part of Nairobi’s biggest garden park – Uhuru Park dedicate a corner known as ‘Freedom Corner’ where mothers of detained political prisoners including Prof. Maathai threatened to strip naked in front of the askari’s (Swahili name for policeman) agitating for the release of political prisoners. In her life, Wangari has both slept in top-notch hotels the world over as well as been a guest of the State – in Kenya’s prison cells that were then in a deplorable state before reforms were introduced to improve the living conditions. For all her troubles, the next government of President MwaiKibakihonoured her through the Nairobi City Council by renaming a road by her name; Forest Road is now known as Professor Wangari Maathai Road. She was also honored by her profile appearing on Kenya stamps. Maathai also dabbled in Politics and she was elected as a Member of Parliament of her hometown Nyeri and was made Assistant Minister of Environment in the then Kibaki Government. Sadly, she passed on at the age of 71 from ovarian cancer. Even in her death, she lived true to her word and conservation and requested not to be buried in a wooden coffin as no tree should be cut on her account. She was cremated in Nairobi, in October 2011.