Deforestation is cutting down trees in large numbers. Forests are disappearing at an alarming rate with an area equal to 27 soccer fields being lost per minute. Humans are the main contributors with selfish aims of filling their pockets leading the list. In this petition, I aim to fully explain the problems related with deforestation and encourage people to avert the harm by planting more trees.

Main causes of deforestation include: Increased need for land area for agricultural purposes (cattle ranching and commercial farming) or infrastructure expansion (building roads, railways and homes), wood logging- (logging for domestic fuel or charcoal), oil and gas extraction, local, national and international factors- (such as land titles, government subsidies to attract corporations into developing countries, trade agreements, payment of debt, lack of resources, lack of law enforcement) and mining. Accidental reasons such as wild fires may also lead to deforestation.         

There are several disadvantages associated with deforestation which have been classified as either environmental or social. Environmental harm includes: Interference with habitat for animals like gorillas, extinction of some rare species like dodo, Tasmanian tiger, soil erosion leading to infertile lands, expansion of deserts, impaired flood protection, climate change as a result of global warming due to increased levels of carbon dioxide which the trees would have absorbed, pollution harming both humans, animals, and plants, interference with water cycle as less water is available in the atmosphere. Social impacts derived include loss of culture as a result of loss of habitat for indigenous people, displacement of people, conflicts over land and resources, poisoning from oil and mining wastes, and economic instability.

As much as the government is trying countermeasures to halt this problem, it should take an individual’s intentional effort and decision to stop cutting trees while planting more every so often.

I urge every reader, both children and adults, to sign this petition and plant at least two trees either on land or even on pots. Together we can make a difference and regain back our environment and our precious heritage for the purpose of the future generation.