American Deforestation

   America has caused the destruction of 90% of virgin forests since 1600. Experts estimate if the rate of deforestation continues, in 70 years, only one fourth of the forests of America will be standing. But what causes it? Deforestation in America, as it is in many other countries, have a lot of causes, the big one being money. For example, an individual living by a forest gets offered large sums of money for logging rights to their land. Then the logging company comes and clears away the trees. Which leaves the land owner with acres of land that they can either sell to delvelopers for new housing complexes or use it for pastures and agriculture. Well, you may say, it doesn't seem that bad, the land owner gets lots of money and the logging company gets trees. Everyone is happy right? Wrong? Mother Earth isn't. As everyone knows trees release oxygen into the atmosphere by phototsynthesis. The more trees are deforested, the less oxygen is re-released into the air. Which results in atmospheric changes, thus creating changes in the climate. Also, deforestation destroys natural habitat, as the forests disapper, the animals that dwell there have to relocate. Since they have no where to go... The animals relocate to more populated areas, like cities and towns. The relocation of these animals harm the entire ecosystem.

   However there is one area in America that is mostly untouched. The boreal forest in Nothern Alaska. This area remains protected and should stay that way. Also the rates of replantation in America has increased, environmentalists are recognizing the importance of planting more trees. Although replanting trees isn't going to fix everything, the new trees have different structure and composition. And they don't have as big as a chance to survive in the long term as natural forests do. Maybe the best thing to do is to find some other way to cope without using as much as trees we are using now.