Forests play a fundamental role in humans' lives. Nevertheless, indicators show that flora has been experiencing a fast deterioration over the years and its ability to provide sustainable and stable supplies have been reduced as a consequence of the impact of human activities.
Its destruction and damage have been happening at an unprecedented rate. Especially with the outburst of consumption, global trade, human population growth, and urbanisation in the last half-century, our ecological footprint exceeded at least 56% of the Earth's rate of regeneration. In addition to that, the intensification of pollution and consequent habitats' change and injury have significantly endangered 80% of forests.
Environmental conditions are changing rapidly and also our vulnerability to climate-induced weather extreme threats particularly heat waves, floods, droughts, and tropical storms.
In 2009, alongside the uncommon record high temperatures and low rainfall, excessive logging and lack of effective forest management might have been at the root of drier thus highly flammable vegetation that might have exacerbated Australia's bushfire season. With over 10 million people exposed to thick smoke and more than 10 million hectares burned, this was one of the most intense fires ever recorded.
Moreover, excessive logging and deforestation can also be the reason of intensive flooding. Vast and densely sprouted vegetation in an area can counteract the impact of downpours. That is because without these natural drainage networks, excessive water cannot be contained or absorbed and so it usually leads to natural disasters of various forms like flooding.
These and other natural disasters can be in the origin of displacements, repercussions at the nutritional level, or even diseases since they change the circumstances of our lives.
Therefore, reforestation in the context of climate change is one of the most important foundations of sustainable forest management. Because of the urgent requirement in productive forests that can, besides mitigating the evidences aforementioned, bind excess atmospheric carbon dioxide and offer renewable raw material for many applications, replacing plastics and other fossil-based products, successful forest regeneration is more critical than ever.
It is essential to find ways to mitigate the negative impacts of forest reduction in order to preserve human well-being or even survival.
Its destruction and damage have been happening at an unprecedented rate. Especially with the outburst of consumption, global trade, human population growth, and urbanisation in the last half-century, our ecological footprint exceeded at least 56% of the Earth's rate of regeneration. In addition to that, the intensification of pollution and consequent habitats' change and injury have significantly endangered 80% of forests.
Environmental conditions are changing rapidly and also our vulnerability to climate-induced weather extreme threats particularly heat waves, floods, droughts, and tropical storms.
In 2009, alongside the uncommon record high temperatures and low rainfall, excessive logging and lack of effective forest management might have been at the root of drier thus highly flammable vegetation that might have exacerbated Australia's bushfire season. With over 10 million people exposed to thick smoke and more than 10 million hectares burned, this was one of the most intense fires ever recorded.
Moreover, excessive logging and deforestation can also be the reason of intensive flooding. Vast and densely sprouted vegetation in an area can counteract the impact of downpours. That is because without these natural drainage networks, excessive water cannot be contained or absorbed and so it usually leads to natural disasters of various forms like flooding.
These and other natural disasters can be in the origin of displacements, repercussions at the nutritional level, or even diseases since they change the circumstances of our lives.
Therefore, reforestation in the context of climate change is one of the most important foundations of sustainable forest management. Because of the urgent requirement in productive forests that can, besides mitigating the evidences aforementioned, bind excess atmospheric carbon dioxide and offer renewable raw material for many applications, replacing plastics and other fossil-based products, successful forest regeneration is more critical than ever.
It is essential to find ways to mitigate the negative impacts of forest reduction in order to preserve human well-being or even survival.
MARCEL GUTENBERGER
Marcel is a German volunteer involved in the International Day of Forests.
