Global
Deforestation
Deforestation is the clearance of naturally occurring forests by logging and burning. Deforestation occurs for many reasons: trees or derived charcoal are used as, or sold, for fuel or as a commodity, while cleared land is used as pasture for livestock, plantations of commodities and settlements. The removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in damage to habitat, biodiversity loss and aridity. It has adverse impacts on bio-sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Deforested regions typically incur significant adverse soil erosion and frequently degrade into wasteland. There are many root causes of contemporary deforestation, including corruption of government institutions, the inequitable distribution of wealth and power, population growth, overpopulation and urbanisation. The cutting down of trees causes billions of tons of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) to be released into the air. About 20 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions are a result of deforestation.
An improvement essential to the sustainability of the environment is the planting of trees, both to relieve the global shortage of trees for lumber, pulpwood and firewood, and as important sources of energy and income for the developing world, and to reduce the effects of global warming.
APC has planted 6 million trees of multiple species globally and is still planting more trees on a daily basis. Trees absorb the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, play an important role in addressing climate change and assist agricultural areas to be more sustainable. They do this by helping to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. They can also assist in preventing salinity and soil erosion, provide shade, shelter, food and habitat to native animals.