Deforestation is the over-cutting or complete elimination of trees in a given area, mostly in the tropics. Tasmania in the far south, is one exception. Deforestation results from the need for agricultural land and commercial logging. Deforestation severely disrupts and even eliminates ecosystems. It is a permanent destruction of forests and woodlands. The effects, environmental and social, short and long term are quite catastrophic. The quality of all life is severely impacted.

Most of us know that deforestation destroys wildlife habitats, encourages destructive erosion, and generally creates a visual lifeless, dusty wasteland. But few understand the huge impact on the possibility of regeneration. And importantly, how does deforestation affect the general health of nature, her seasons and even humanity?

For too long, deforestation has been poorly regulated at a government level. Powerful companies and consortiums have had their own money spinning agendas (usually for wood products and mining) with little foresight into long term effects. In Brazil, land clearing for pastureland has been a desperate attempt by individual landowners to generate an income. There has been no effective government regulation. "When pastureland prices exceed forest land prices (a condition made possible by tax incentives that favor pastureland over natural forest), forest clearing is a good hedge against inflation." www.mongabay.com

Worldwide, it has been well documented that deforestation impacts on the larger landscape.

The major effects are:
* Plant and animal species are at risk of extinction. "Although tropical forests cover only about 7 percent of the Earth's dry land, they probably harbor about half of all species on Earth. Many species are so specialized to microhabitats within the forest that they can only be found in small areas. Their specialization makes them vulnerable to extinction." www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov
* Without the "holding power" of plant root systems, soil is eroded and washed away leaving an infertile base. Tropical soils, in particular, are very thin and poor in nutrients. Take away the trees, and, in a very short time, lifeless soil remains.
* Rivers and dams become heavily silted from run-off topsoil, hence threatening the quality of drinking water.
* The risk of devastating, unpredictable flooding is increased.
* The risk of unstable soil resulting in landslide is increased.
* Less trees mean more carbon dioxide content in

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