Deforestation

I think that it may, in some ways be hard to consider deforestation to have effects on sustainability because when people think of trees they don't realize all of the things trees are used for. Not only us as humans need them but hundreds of thousands of species rely on the rain forests for shelter and food, it is their home. What most people don't realize is that our forests have been rapidly decreasing due to to and misuse/abuse of Mother Earths trees. While reading about deforestation I came across a sweet book I was able to read online called Vital Forest Graphics. I thought this book offered some really good information about Deforestation in the past, present, and some things people can do to help rebuild our forests and stop deforestation. “Conserving forests has become a key weapon in the fight to reduce carbon emissions and slow climate change.” (VFG, 56)

Along with the conservation of many forests around the world, people are also doing their part to reestablish forested areas. “In 1999, China launched the ‘Grain for Green’ programme to promote recovery of vegetation cover, watershed management and poverty alleviation ... The programme now covers 25 provinces in over 1,600 counties (autonomous regions and municipalities) and involves 15 million households and 60 million farmers. From 1999 to 2002, 7.7 million hectares of land was converted into forest, including 3.72 million hectares of farm land turned forest and 3.98 million hectares of plantations established on barren hills.” This program is considered to be “the largest participatory community forest project in China, possibly in the world.” (VFG, 61) I believe that people are realizing how preserving our forests is becoming a key part of sustaining a healthy Earth and more people should be taking part in communities similar to the Grain for Green in China because these types of programs are the only chance this planet has for survival.