From the pine barens to rainforests, forests are one many important ecosystems on the planet. They give the planet stability and providing a home for wildlife around the world. Unfortunately they a being cut down for logging and farming. This is called deforestation which means to clear the land of trees. It is one of many causes of climate change.

The trees hold the soil together and stop, it from eroding. However their is more of a risk on erosion due to few trees in area. According to Deforestation and Climate Change, an article from the Climate Institute, “Both countries share the same island, but Haiti has much less forest cover than the Dominican Republic. As a result, Haiti has endured more extreme soil erosion, flooding and landslide issues.”  

Forests have an effect on clean water. The roots of the tree play a big role in filtering out polluted water. If there are fewer forests then the polluted water will go into rivers and streams which flows into the oceans. The united States spends millions dollars on water treatment a year. According to an article from World Resources Institute, “Relying on natural infrastructure like forests, as a complement to traditional built infrastructure, is proven to reduce water management costs and provides both economic and cultural benefits like recreational green spaces and fish and wildlife habitats.

Deforestation also causes an imbalance of wildlife populations where animals compete for territory and food or end up in urban areas. This can cause animals to be killed by cars or humans. When animals are hungry, scared and confused they can become dangerous. Unfortunately, the loss of habitat causes loss of many plant and animal species. According to an article called Deforestation Explained on www.nationalgeographic.com, “Eighty percent of Earth’s land animals and plants live in forests, and deforestation threatens species including the orangutan, Sumatran tiger, and many species of birds.”