What you'll learn
Why forests are cleared, the consequences, and how to conserve them.
Deforestation
- Causes: logging, clearing for agriculture and cattle ranching, mining, roads and settlement.
- Effects: loss of biodiversity and habitats, soil erosion, disruption of the water and carbon cycles, and increased CO₂ (contributing to climate change).
Conservation and sustainable management
- Selective logging, replanting/afforestation, protected areas and national parks, agroforestry, and ecotourism.
- Involving local communities and providing alternative livelihoods.
Exam tips
- Link deforestation to global effects (carbon cycle, climate change).
- Evaluate whether strategies are truly sustainable.
Common mistakes
- Listing effects only locally, ignoring global impacts.
- Confusing selective logging with clear-felling.