So why are we cutting them down?
For a very long time we have been cutting down the planets trees to make way for farmland, houses and roads.
Since farming began, over half the worlds tree cover has been cleared to make way for fields. In areas like Europe this took place a long time ago but in areas like the tropics, it has started much more recently and is happening at a rapid speed. Tropical rainforests are cleared for farms and also sold for timber.
The loss of these rainforests are a disaster for the wildlife that depends on them. And just as importantly there is an impact on the climate.
Rainforests act as a big filter, soaking up the planets carbon dioxide in the air and storing it as carbon. When these rainforests are burnt down, greenhouse gases are then released back into the atmosphere and this is not good news for the planet. |
