Deforestation for food and fuel – A devastating consequence of overpopulation - to be checked immediately:

Deforestation for food and fuel – A devastating consequence of overpopulation - to be checked immediately:

Tropical rainforests are incredibly rich ecosystems that play a fundamental role in the basic functioning of the planet. Rainforests are home to probably 50 percent of the world's species, making them an extensive library of biological and genetic resources. In addition, rainforests help maintain the climate by regulating atmospheric gases and stabilizing rainfall, protect against desertification, and provide numerous other ecological functions. These precious systems are among the most threatened on the planet because of unchecked population growth and rising demand.

As per the rough estimate, each day at least 80,000 acres (32,300 ha) of forest disappear from Earth.Rising demand for food, biofuels, wood for paper, building and industry made forest cover worldwide most vulnerable. The result of it is more deforestation, more conflict, more carbon emissions, more climate change and less prosperity for everyone. Growth in population, especially in developing countries, is the major culprit for irresponsible deforestation, degradation of global environment and climate change.

Demand for land worldwide to grow more food, fuel crops for future energy security and wood is set to outstrip supply, leading to the probable destruction of forests. Tropical forests in Asia, Africa and South America are at most vulnerable position as growth in population in developing countries in those continents is quite large.

Many reports suggests that, because of the rising demand for food and biofuel, by another two decades, more than 500 million hectares of extra land will be needed worldwide for growing crops and trees; but only 200 million hectares will be available without dipping into tropical forests. Thus, tropical forest areas are bound to be affected extensively in next couple of decades. Analysis of figures from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) shows that tropical deforestation rates increased 8.5 percent from 2000-2005 when compared with the 1990s, while loss of primary forests may have expanded by 25 percent over the same period.

Some of the studies also suggest that, if the current level in agricultural yield continues, the amount of additional agricultural land required just to meet the world's projected food demand in 2050 would be about three billion hectares and nearly all would be required in developing countries. In such a scenario, tropical forest areas in developing countries would be destroyed, without repair, almost completely.

However, some academics place their hopes in agricultural technologies including genetic engineering to boost crop yields.

The main area of concern is, since the spectacular success of the expected green revolution is, so far, quite slow. In some areas, yields are falling - a trend, which is most likely to be, intensified by climate change due to global warming. Moreover, eating into tropical forests to create extra agricultural land would, in turn, deepen climate change. Further, greenhouse gases may also rise because of extensive deforestation. As these forests fall, more carbon is added to the atmosphere, climactic conditions are further altered, and more topsoil is lost to erosion.

Importance of Urban green cover in improving environmental standard

In the last decade many of the developing countries in Asia, East Europe and Africa have seen rapid growth of industrialization, due to which many of the countries have emerged as economic power house. This rapid growth in industrialization has lead to unplanned development of urban areas by large scale cutting of trees, converting agricultural land into human habitation and deforestation. This has affected adversely on general environment and maintaining ecological balance. Rapid migration and increase in population in the urban areas has also lead to large scale spreading of air & water pollution, garbage etc., and also impairing aesthetic value of area / land. Traffic congestion, water shortages, solid waste, and air, water and noise pollution are common noticeable problems in almost all the urban areas since last few years. The escalated urbanization, associated with environmental degradation, has generated a debate on how much urban green space has been lost due to the urbanization process. Integrated means of addressing the ecological and environmental, economic and social concerns are still neglected in the framework of development. As a result, large areas of urban green space are declining rapidly, and causing numerous environmental problems. However, both environmental awareness and environmental legislation (setting of standards etc.) have advanced considerably in recent years, but enforcement is lagging almost everywhere.

Now, it is well recognized that urban green space plays an important role in the social and natural sustainability of a city. An increase of vegetated surfaces in the urban landscape, provide ecological diversity etc. - can help mitigate several negative effects of urbanization on climate, air pollution, since they contribute to the reduction of the structural differences between the urban area and its rural surrounding. The mitigation processes operated by the vegetation take place both through biophysical and microclimatological properties. Urban green cover form essential structural and functional elements that make cities and urban regions more livable places for their citizens. It is thus, key role of improving the quality of urban life as well as environment. Their imperceptible role in arresting pollution, acting as dust-busters, reducing noise pollution by muffling the sounds of urban living, their cooling effect on the city's temperatures, and how all of this can help keep climate change at bay, are well-known.

Good quality green space enhances the quality of urban life and contributes to wider Government objectives such as improved health, more sustainable neighbourhood renewal and better community cohesion, especially in more deprived communities. Neglected parks attract anti-social behaviour and have the potential to undermine regeneration of deprived neighbourhoods.

Urban green spaces provide a wide range of outputs, however, due to their multi-functional characteristics, the development and management of parks and green spaces is becoming a more and more complex planning issue that needs careful consideration, if green spaces are to be successful places, accepted and appreciated by citizens.

Importance of Forests:

Importance of Forests:

A forest is an area with a high density of all types of trees, shrubs, vegetations. Forests cover considerable areas of woodland. The word forest eventually came to mean wooded land more generally. Forests can be found in all regions capable of sustaining tree growth. Forests sometimes contain many tree species within a small area (as in tropical rain and temperate deciduous areas), or relatively few species over large areas (e.g., arid region). Forests are often home to many animal and plant species, and other vegetations. This emphasis on trees reflects their ecological, biological, and cultural importance. Also, trees are critical to the classification of forests. Trees represent some of the oldest living organisms on the planet. Trees are instrumental in the development and support of civilizations. They form important links in the earth's geological, chemical, and hydrological cycles by:

• Taking in CO2 and releasing oxygen;
• Releasing carbon and mineral elements such as nitrogen and phosphorus (important in plant growth) as they decay;
• Absorbing moisture for growth and releasing it as vapor through transpiration;
• Preventing erosion by reducing the force of rainfall at the soil surface and by intercepting and absorbing water, rather than allowing it to run off directly;
• Harboring a diversity of wildlife;
• Acting as windbreaks;
• Providing us with shade and beauty on a largely agricultural and urban landscape.

At present unfortunately, the forest environment has been impaired heavily by natural processes or by human activities resulting large scale deforestations. Deforestation is the conversion of forested areas to non-forest land by cutting of trees for urban use. Deforestation results from removal of trees without sufficient reforestation.

Impact on the environment by deforestation:

• Generally, the removal or destruction of significant areas of forest cover has resulted in a degraded environment with reduced biodiversity. In many countries, massive deforestation is ongoing and is shaping climate and geography.

• ·Deforestation, to be precise, responsible for Global warming.

• · Deforestation affects the amount of water in the soil and groundwater and the moisture in the atmosphere. Forests support considerable biodiversity, providing valuable habitat for wildlife.

• Moreover, forests foster medicinal conservation and the recharge of aquifers.

• ·Deforested areas become sources of surface water runoff, which moves much faster than subsurface flows. That quicker transport of surface water can translate into flash flooding and more localized floods than would occur with the forest cover.

• ·Long-term gains can be obtained by managing forest lands sustainable to maintain both forest cover and provide a biodegradable renewable resource.

• ·Forests are important stores of organic carbon, and forests can extract carbon dioxide and pollutants from the air, thus contributing to biosphere stability and probably relevant to the greenhouse effect.

• Forests are also valued for their aesthetic beauty and as a cultural resource and tourist attraction.